Who Knew Life in Ouran could be switched!
by Everlastingangel09
Summary: Life in Ouran is theatrical! Life in Bleach not so much. Two worlds, two authors, collide and combine one crazy story! Join Kasumi and Kim in their grand continuation as they graduate from Ouran Academy and meet new and dangerous friends. Will they remain the same after this? Who can tell...
1. Welcome back!

**Ouran Meet's Bleach**

**Written By: Dark Angel and Kim**

Welcome back fellow readers! Been a while hasn't it? Hopefully you recall us—Kasumi and Kim—during this long period of time being away. As much fun it was writing the Ouran story, we decided to give everyone a little twist this time around. Hopefully you all at least know the story of Ouran to know who graduates and who succeeds in their adult career. Then there is Dark Angel's story of Bleach she wrote. We collaborated our stories together to give us a challenge how two worlds would meld together and this happened to be the result!

With Kasumi and Kim getting older and wiser there are bound to be some changes to how they feel with one another. Of course there will be turmoil since Bleach and Ouran are entirely different genre's in retrospect. So this was a very interesting collaboration for the two of us, and we hope you guys all enjoy it. But relax, enjoy, and have fun reading!

Okaerinasai!


	2. Chapter 1

**Kim  
-One Month Before Graduation-**

Studying one final piece before taking off back home to get dinner ready, my phone went off and I looked down to see Kaoru's text. He was already heading home with his brother, which is fine, but I did have some work for him to take back to his mother to look over. Lately it's been one thing after another since his mother discovered my talent in clothes that dating has become such a hassle lately.

"Geez, he could have at least waited," sighing and taking the materials and sketches into my bag, I sent a quick text to Kasumi and headed out.

The halls were decorated for the upcoming ceremony that will take place soon for all the graduates. Every year the school wishes to make it a bigger deal than the previous or at least make it classy enough to give credit to were credit is due. Of course it must end with a ball for all students to properly say farewell to their seniors so that their juniors will carry on their will. But if I had to think about any of us graduating and the changes that's happened lately, it probably have to be Kasumi and I.  
While I am technically Kasumi's caretaker hired by her parents, pursuing my passion in the arts has always been my passion. Though I'm no slacker when it comes to my official work at home and otherwise, keeping myself hidden in character really drains me mentally at times.

As for Kasumi, she changed the most from my perspective. After her discharge from the hospital last year and the unveiled truth of her upbringing, the school demanded that she change her status from that of a commoner to one of nobility. Though it was a setback to have it done and the entire student body come after her to be 'friends', her strong will and desire outmatched them all and she took her newfound standing in the hierarchy and got them to leave her alone.

"If only Honey and Mori still attended school rather than graduate." Wishful thoughts coming out of my mouth, I was sure no one was around to hear me and trotted along quickly to the host club room to drop a few things off before heading home.

~O~O~O~

"I still need to compose my final art piece for my final before graduation…" sighing to the workload I have going for me, finally leaving the club room and heading out I pulled out the keys to the car Kasumi bought for me. The Lamborghini is still far too luxurious of a car for me to drive on a normal basis, but for the image the school now wishes of us we kind of made a compromise. Though driving it did make me feel like a movie star no matter what I truly felt, so I secretly drive it whenever I possibly can. =^_^=  
*Phone rings*

"This is Kim speaking," having the Bluetooth answer it while driving, it was Kasumi.

_"I just got home from work, do you want me to start dinner for us or shall I wait for you to get home?"_

"I'll be home soon, I got dinner planned out already. Be home in just a bit."

_"Alrighty then, when you get home I also have some great news to tell!"_

"Can't wait!" Hanging up as I drove through the small streets and to the hillside where the mansion resides, I always gazed in awe to the location of this household. The yard was far too big for a single person to utilize. Even with all my crazy sculptures added to the scenery it's like nothing dents the size of it. At least the security is tight with Kasumi's latest tech from her company. Since she wants nothing to happen to us like with Zen, she's been really focused on work and everyone she associates with.  
Once I got inside and placed all my things down in the hallway, I could hear Kasumi running through the halls and seeing her stop at the stairwell.

"Kim," Kasumi merrily trotted down the steps and kept fussing with her hair getting in her face as she moved. Her blazer was all crinkled as she came close enough for me to see, but she was so focused getting to me that I didn't even realize she was carrying something. "Do you remember that company overseas I've been trying to get to sign a contract with all these months? After discussing so many other options and variables as to why my company is the better choice in their market, they signed!" Showing the final document with signatures, she was so excited that I jumped for joy!

"This is awesome!"

"I know right," putting the documents away and following me to the kitchen, I almost forgot about one of the sketches I did today and wanted to show her.

"I have something to show you, it's just past my clothing sketches." pulling out my sketchbook and handing it to her, she opened it to the fifth page and looked at me curiously.

"Kim, you still doing these sketches again?" Concern colored her voice as she side-glanced at me, but I could only shrug and sigh about it.

"Mm…they've been a little more prominent lately. I can't seem to stop seeing it in my sleep either." Using my hands to express my frustration, there was nothing I could go off from to give the picture more shape. Always merely black shapes of a person but never any details forming them. No matter how many times I draw them I can't imagine the features they would have.

"Hmm," trying to decipher my drawings and maybe catching something I can't see, she sighed and shook her head slowly. "Hard to say what they are since there's no features. Just drawing a black shape is hard to figure out. And so much unknown shapes make it hard to think what it could be at all."

"I know," agreeing, we got to the kitchen and I began prepping. "They've become progressively worse since I can see the images even when awake. I just don't know why it bothers me so much though…I see it being a person, but then there's more to it and I get even more lost in thought when drawing it."

"I'm sure there's some mad reasoning behind it. Something just has to make sense to it eventually." She sat behind the counter and knew better than to enter the kitchen when I'm cooking.

"I hope so…" sighing and taking my beret off, my ears twitched around and got comfortable being out in the open.  
After a few minutes, Kasumi couldn't stop aimlessly staring out the window. She must have something on her mind to be so quiet. I'm curious if it was because of work and all the studying she's been putting on before graduation. I think if I was in her shoes I would be stressing out just from being stressed out!  
"Kasumi, do you have something bothering you?" I asked.

"…you always seem to tell I got something troubling me." Her eyes were sad, but her facial features tried hiding her emotions. Knowing her for so long I've developed a knack for reading her out better, but even still I can always make mistakes. "To be honest Kim, it's Kyoya. Lately he's been distant from me. Always working on something for his father and growing his business, he's just been getting further and further apart from me that it feels like we're strangers. And really just as of late I've been feeling like he's a whole different person compared to the guy I met last year."

"Well he is the youngest and has it a bit rough to take any lead in the family business." Reminding her, she nodded and leaned back in the stool ever so slightly and turned in a different direction.

"I know that, but it's different. I feel like he's avoiding me whenever he gets the chance…and when we are together he's always on his phone or computer that I don't have any room to say much of anything to him. Maybe I'm not so different since work calls me as well, but I don't know. I at least try to be part of the conversation and leave work out of our personal lives better than he has."  
There was more, I could tell, and she knew I wouldn't give up until she told me. After a few minutes contemplating what to say, she caved in and sighed heavily.  
" contacted me earlier…" she stopped and wanted to end there but I persisted and started nuzzling her and acting more cat-like that always makes her cave in. "K-Kim!"

"Come on~" nuzzling and nuzzling till she cracked, she conceded her defeat.

"Alright," she sighed. "Kyoya's father told me that he wants me to marry his son the day I graduate."

"What?" Looking at her seriously now and seeing she wasn't misunderstanding anything, she handed me a letter that she received either sometime today or earlier this week and I read 's words carefully before sitting on the stool next to her in absolute shock. "He really means for you guys to go through with marriage. I know you guys are going out and all but that's just a little far. It's barely been a year and he's planning this far? Make's no sense."

"…."

"…you seem indifferent?" Is there more to this than your letting on?"

She seemed so lost in thought that by the time she answered me she got up from her seat to run one hand through her hair and the other planted on her hip. "I still hold feelings for Kyoya still, but lately the flare just isn't there anymore. I'm not asking much, but he could at least acknowledge me a bit more. That or pay less attention to his father and be the guy I fell for. The Kyoya who always managed to get under my skin and be so persistent in the chase. The guy I desperately ran from and was still caught in his snare. I barely know love…it took me forever to accept it in the first place. Can't he just be the guy I fell for? The caring and sweet guy who insisted he'd stand by my side over every little thing and just…be himself?"

"Are you hoping for more, or maybe just having him not change?" Gingerly pressing this matter, she shrugged and looked to the window again and sighed once more.

"Honestly…I have no idea what I want from him. I just know that I'm not looking into marriage with him. Especially when it involves two high-end companies joining and becoming one absolute powerhouse of an industry. No matter how much I want to expand, marriage was never in the equation."

"Do you think Kyoya would come to understand that if you spoke to him about this? I wouldn't think he's changed all too much in this short amount of time to not care about your feelings."

"That's just it though…I _tried_ talking to him, hell I even made an appointment with him and he still couldn't bother listening to me properly!" Her jaw clenched and I knew she was done talking about it. Getting up and finishing dinner while she set the table, we ate dinner leisurely while talking about graduation and how we'll get our diplomas at long last, we called it a day and left our worries for some other time.


	3. Chapter 2

**Kasumi**

Flopping in bed and staring at my ceiling, there was something else bothering me other than Kyoya and the marriage.  
_I hAvEn'T SlePt iN DaYs!_  
There's really no reasoning behind why, but lately I just can't get this picture out of my mind. I tried drawing it like Kim with her dreams, but the drawings don't amount to it. It's frustrating to think I may have lost my touch, but no, whatever I'm seeing every time I close my eyes is driving me to insanity.  
The image is nothing I can't draw, but each time I try it just seems out of place from what I see and makes me crumble it up and toss it. I reached for the sketchbook once more to maybe get a sketch in of the person I see, but the picture was a blur like I was looking under water and made me give up. For some reason my life seems to be in such turmoil. Maybe it's all the stress from school and work piling up? Kyoya is another matter I should deal with, but without sleep I really don't know how I'm coping with everything on my plate. I stared at my ceiling, hoping sleep would just come to me like it was nothing, but unfortunate it was another night without sleeping a wink. I watched the clock tick on by, the time was now 2AM. Rather than hoping for a nap I just got dressed and headed to work to finish up the finalization of the new contract I got.

~OoOoO~

_Shalalalala…shalalala…shalalala~  
_"Who the hell is calling me this early?" At my desk working, I glared at my phone across the room and made my way over to it. "Kasumi speaking," I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose and trying not to snap.

_"Kasumi, morning,"_ hearing such a gruff voice on the other end, it took me a moment to realize it was Kyoya.

"Morning," questioning why he was up this early, I looked at my laptop and found the time to be around 5AM. I know damn well with his blood type he is no morning person and shouldn't even be alive at this time of day.

_"I was having trouble sleeping and kept thinking of you. But I was also wondering if you would like to attend dinner with me tonight."_  
Caught off guard to the offer, it took me a moment to reply and I can hear his breathing change slightly to impatience. It was subtle over the phone but I clearly heard a slight agitation from his voice as though I couldn't have answered him quick enough.

"Kyoya I—"

_"My father would like you to attend. For once my family will be together and we can have a leisure talk."_ Leisure talk? Lately all these talks have led to being about business and about our family relations. Do I even want to attend such a dinner with him…with his father?  
_"Kasumi, are you still there?"_

"Oh…yeah," I have to say no somehow. "Listen Kyoya, I—"

_"If you have nothing to wear, there is a dress I can send to you. I can pick you up around 5 this evening if that will be alright."_  
Not leaving much room for me to speak, I merely consented to the time and hung up.

"…. a dinner…" dreading the thought, I looked to my mirror and saw the heavy bags under my eyes begin to get very visible. "Better break out the make-up and pull up make-up tutorials online to hide this face…" looking like a walking disaster, it took me about 45minutes before I felt it looked natural enough to fool Kim. Even for me this was enough, but I really don't want to be questioned. Now I just had to come up with a way to speak with Kyoya about my personal matters and maybe get this whole idea of marriage out of his father's head.

~OoOoO~

I've only ever met with Mr. Ootori through a screen at work when discussing stocks and other business-related matters, but in person—it's just never been done. How would they all look at me knowing I'm the soul owner of the Matsumoto Franchise group? I'm really feeling queasy about all of this and I feel like throwing up.

"Kasumi," Kim tugged my hair into a finishing bun and had me look at her through the mirror that sat before me. Zoning out enough to forget she was doing my hair made me realize how damn tired I really was. "Stop trying to figure stuff out; Kyoya is going to be there with you every step of the way, so no need to get flustered." Calming me down, I took a few deep breaths and smiled my best for her and still felt nauseous.

"You're right," I admitted. "I'm worrying too much over nothing." Hoping all will be as Kim said, I looked at myself in the mirror and looked like a proper aristocrat. The light blue corset dress Kim picked for me was rather nice. It was laced with black along the edges to give my curves a finer definition to them and my lower half was a much darker blue that looked like the ocean. Kim working with Kaoru's mom has really started to show her artistic side as I've become a model for some of her outfits as of late. I really adore Kim's enthusiasm towards fashion. Though I'm no fashionista, it did fascinate me how she could come up with so many designs and use me as a model. I especially adore the suits she's made for me for work. I show those off like its nobody's business.

*Ding…Dong…Ding!*

"That should be Kyoya now." Kim said cheerily as she ran to the door to let him in while I remained up in my room. Without reason I decided to open my mother's old jewelry box buried deep inside my drawer and look at all my mother's jewelry.  
Inside the box sat priceless gem stones; necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets, practically anything to wear on any occasion. But within this very box I found my mother's favorite blue stone necklace and pulled it out and put it on. It was a good setting image that tied the outfit together, and the small gem brought me a little more courage than I thought it would and got me to walk to the stairs.  
Descending the stairs I noticed he was dressed as only a nobleman would. He had his hair slicked back and his glasses polished to a fine shine. Wearing a black tailored suit and a light blue rose clipped to his chest to match my dress, he looked stunning. I walked slowly as not to fall and said my farewell to Kim until late tonight of my return. We left my house promptly and the driver had driven us to the restaurant Kyoya's father picked out for the family to gather.

**Kim**

"She looked really nervous," speaking on the phone with Kaoru, he was hardly paying any attention to our conversation. I could tell since he's hardly spoken since I've called him. "Kaoru… are you even listening to me?! Kyoya just might drop the bomb tonight and Kasumi will say no!" venting out my thoughts and worries to him only to hear a meek reply, I gave up continuing the talk and just hung up the phone. "Ugh…I know how Kasumi feels right now." I said aloud as I lay in bed thinking about my own relationship with Kaoru. Lately it's been bothering me how much he's changed. Both twins only act themselves at the host club, but when outside of the school and the club they act entirely different. These last few months of the new Kaoru have really shut me off. He's not all sweet and attentive, he's a brute with his words and critiques of others work…especially mine of late. I wish society wouldn't get in the way so much…it was nice being with him without the reality of it all crashing down on us. "All I ask for is a little more eagerness from him…" wishing for something I know won't come true, I rolled around on my bed and wondered how Kasumi was holding up. Having been two hours already I can only imagine how boring or scary things might be. The Ootori group is not exactly a light weight family. I've only ever heard Mr. Ootori speak on the phone when taking a message for Kasumi, and even that weighed my anxiety to a level that was uncomfortable.

The door downstairs was heard being swung open by force and slammed seconds later with a pattering of footsteps climbing up the steps and finding Kasumi running past my door all disheveled and angry.  
"Kasumi, what happened?"  
Kasumi didn't respond to me. I followed her quickly and noted her shoes were gone, dress was disheveled and her hair was a mess. Something happened at dinner and truthfully I didn't wish to know, but as her friend I _had_ to know.

**Kasumi**

_The nerve of them! All of them! How dare they suggest such vulgar things to me in front of so many people! I would wring all their necks if I could!_ Ripping the remaining clips out of my hair and taking the dress off as carefully as I could manage in my anger, I was just fuming with hot tears stinging my eyes. The urge to punch and kick something was so tempting that everything looked like a target.

"Kasumi," Kim was in the doorway ready to come to me when I sat on the floor with my head in my hands and trying to breathe. "…what happened during dinner?"

I looked back up with pursed lips and struggled to find words that portrayed my every emotion. "Kyoya's father just decided I was marrying into the Ootori family tonight as a way to strengthen our businesses! Even better yet, he had the gall to ask for grandchildren as soon as possible! Be it with Kyoya or his second oldest son Keiji! There is something wrong in that man's head!" Seething with anger and gripping onto Kim for Sanity. She asked if Kyoya said anything to my defense. That's where I lost it and laughed to the thought of what happened.

"Kyoya proposed to me like his father wished of him to do with little to ZERO emotion in it! I felt _nothing_ but obligation to his father rather than feelings of love towards me!" Clicking my tongue and digging my nails into the floor, I was breathing hard and wanted to break things. But just recalling how Kyoya spoke to me and the obligation I felt to say yes like some mechanical doll just turned on the waterworks and I sobbed. "Just what the hell…" I cried angrily.

"Kasumi…" She pulled me into a big hug and didn't bother letting me go. I stayed this way until Kim was capable of helping me get to bed with her and sleep soundly with her by my side. I've never cried myself to sleep in a rather long time…I had forgotten the feeling of my heart being torn to pieces each time I shed a tear. But the sleep was so short lived, maybe 3o minutes or so. I wanted to cry again in frustration but had no more tears to shed. With Kim sleeping soundly and not wanting to wake her up, I stayed quiet and just let my thoughts wonder aimlessly.


	4. Chapter 3

**The Next Day**

It was coming close to the end of our semester to have our break begin before the big ceremony. Since we had all the credits needed to graduate, it really didn't matter if we went to school at this point or not since we could technically graduate anytime now. I was planning on taking Kim somewhere where the Host Club wouldn't bother us—and neither would our boyfriends.

"Kasumi," Kim walked in with a magazine and held it out for me. "I got this in the mail today," she hesitated to go on but did so after her pause. "I saw something about your company on the second page…but I think you should turn to page six." Handing it to me and seeing Mr. Ootori, he announced Kyoya's proposal in a headliner! Displaying both of us as an already married couple!

"The fuck is this?!" Slamming the magazine down on the table, my nerves were already on edge just remembering that night as I ran my hands through my slightly messy hair; I've just about had it with all this nonsense. Just seeing that was taking things too far!

Sensing my thoughts, Kim spoke softly, "Don't do anything rash…" she did her best to try and soothe me and ease my aching wounds that covered my pride, but my anger was at its max and I needed to deal with that anger or something very bad was about to go down. Be it breaking some necks or something in the house, I don't know, but I had to vent this out!

"I'm going to cool my head…maybe go for a run through the old park." Grabbing my coat and fixating my hair into a tight ponytail, I looked at Kim who looked rather haggard herself and thought that perhaps the both of us would be better off without rich boyfriends. It seems we both made an unfortunate mistake.

"Be careful," showing me out and waving as I left, I ran hard towards the park without turning back.

~OoOoO~  
**KIM**

I knew it would set her over the edge, but to this extent of her going for a run to cool off I wasn't prepared for it. Once I gathered my things to head to school I felt my ears twitch beneath by burette and something smelled off in the air.  
"What is this feeling?" As though all my hair is standing on end with the air feeling like I'm walking through a static chamber, I looked to where Kasumi disappeared and wondered if I should have followed her. Unable to change now and just leaving it to her own methods, school was becoming taxing from doing my original duties. With Kaoru being the way he is and no help whatsoever from his brother I'm getting more and more agitated that I thought having this kind of freedom was pointless.  
Arriving to school with every student body scrambling around for their graduation preparations, I headed to the clubroom and found only Tamaki present.

"Dearest Kim~" his flamboyant approach making my eye twitch for a second, I gathered my composure and smiled.

"Something the matter?"

"I need your honest opinion on the outfit we're to wear to the ball. The members must be extraordinary of course, but the theme of it all escapes my brilliant mind."

"Hmm." Taking a gander and noticing several options for the theme, it was actually decent of Tamaki making this many choices. "Explain each of these choices and let me ponder through it."

"But of course." He walked over and stopped at the first choice. "A tropical theme was my first choice considering our brilliant encounter with you and Kasumi. Less I forget the two of you with those snakes and surprising us all with your antics."

"Ah yes, Romeo and Juliet, I nearly forgot that." Chuckling to the amusing memory, I did miss those serpents dearly, but having them go to a better home where a caretaker would watch them all the time was surely better for them.

"But then the time at the beach was most wonderous as we discovered quite a bit about one another and grew closer to one another." The designs were not bad, more tranquil than the tropical clothing, but something about the beach and recalling it put a bad taste in my mouth.

"To recall that as something wonderous is putting words in your mouth. Too many things happened that time and it leaves an odd taste."

"Is that so?" He pondered for only a moment before walking to a more darker theme and I recognized it to be the Halloween event. "Surely many things happened, but when I think of this holiday where we spent a great deal together, I do believe our relationships really grew during this moment."

"You're right about that…" missing the way Kaoru looked at me, how devious we both were and playing around, this was a fond memory for me. I had Kasumi realize her feelings for Kyoya, how I really grew attached to Kaoru and wished for nothing more.

"Kim…are you alright?"  
Not realizing I was dazing at the outfits but feeling the pang in my own heart of how things have changed, this would open wounds we probably don't wish to have.

"I'm fine…please continue."

"This is something I thought of myself but unsure what others would think."

"Is this a masquerade ball theme here? But if I recall we have already done something of the like."

"Indeed…but perhaps a slight change to it could create something new?"

"Hmm…you know, in a way I think this could work but how about we do something more exciting?"

"How so?"

"Galaxy theme! Think of it this way." I grabbed some brilliant cobalt blue silk and wrapped it around the mannequins and tried having him envision it. "Go beyond what you think your capable of. Strive for something further than you think you could possibly reach. Anyone can wear something that matches their own unique interest and if wearing a mask is something that matches them they can do it. The host club members will wear masks and unveil themselves in their most brilliant fashion."

"That sounds fantastic! This is why your in the fashion industry!" Praising me as much as he is capable of, we worked out the kinks and settled on the theme. He called for his crew to begin the construction of the ballroom to the details taking place and I would collaborate with my own ideas if any come up. Sealing the deal and leaving him to it, the feeling of static in the air was dense and I looked to the skies and saw dark clouds forming.

"Is it a storm? Must be a bad one if its making me this uneasy."


	5. Chapter 4

**~OoOoO~  
Karakura Town—Kisuke's Basement**

The small shop Kisuke ran was quiet during the slow season of summer. His wares becoming stale as time passed made the man rethink the products he sold to the humans in town. Though at first his shop was booming with customers, it now paled in comparison while he watched passerby's walk while completely ignoring his existence.  
"I should really think about my career in this…" fanning himself thoughtlessly, he sensed the boy coming to him after his letter was sent. Snapping his fan shut and standing to greet his guest, he watched as Ichigo came up to the shop with his hands in pocket and a look of absolute boredom on his face.

"What's this about," Ichigo asked grudgingly. His eyes staring straight ahead, he was just a kid wanting something meaningful to happen. Kisuke smiled beneath the shadow of his hat and beckoned the boy to come into his shop.

"Nothing much…I'm conducting a small experiment that needs a little extra juice to get it going. I figured you would be the perfect man to call for such a task." Leading the way through his shop and down the secret door to the basement, Ichigo caught sight of Kisuke's other guests he had failed to mention.

"So why do they need to be here?" Referring to the two Espada waiting amongst the boulder in the distance, the two looked their way and moved. "Just what kind of experiment requires me and these guys?" He asked quizzically and perhaps a little defensively. Kisuke chuckled to the gesture he showed and opened his fan once more in a nonchalant manner.

"Between you and the Espada's I can conduct a rather peculiar experiment I've been working on with both Mayuri and Szayel. We wanted to establish a quicker more efficient garganta type gate that leads to the soul society with a little more precision. The problem is the power needing to get the task going."  
Watching the Espada's come close enough for Ichigo to stand beside them, Kisuke kept his expression light and closed his fan and swung his cane instead. "I brought Grimmjow and Ulquiorra here to create a gate to Hueco Mundo using your garganta while Ichigo here contributes his powers to our gate here leading to the Soul Society. Mayuri should be helping out on his end while Szayel on yours," he pointed out. "No reason for such angry faces though," referring to Grimmjow and Ulquiorra, the two were not pleased being summoned for such a task.

"You got the psycho helping you out on this," Grimmjow snarled and ran his fingers through his hair. "What's the big deal of both of us being here when it takes one to open the garganta?"

"A mighty fine question," Kisuke clopped his way over and pointed to the gate Ichigo would be at. "Because I need an Espada to feed both gates using their reiatsu and powering the mechanisms on each side to really grasp the energies of the two precipice worlds." Trying to make sense of it all, Grimmjow merely narrowed his eyes while furrowing his brow and lacked the enthusiasm.  
"You see, while Mayuri keeps the gate open on his end and feeding enough reiatsu to power it, Ichigo can use his power from here to establish the link. Szayel is doing the same but your gate requires a little more of a refined touch. The precipice worlds are a tricky matter and I need someone with strong reiatsu like yourself to keep the cores of the worlds steady."

"That seems like a lot to take on. And if something goes wrong, then what?" Making a valid inquiry, Kisuke shrugged to the thought that something bad might happen but nothing to worry about. "I don't know about this…" Grimmjow seemed worried about the experiment while Ulquiorra stayed silent on the matter. His stoic expression not helping in any way.

"I'm with Grimmjow here…what if something does go wrong, what would you do?" Ichigo asked.

"Come now you are thinking far too much about this. We've all done something far worse than having two gates open, am I right?" A side look to the Espada's, it made both of them look away as the matter was a touchy subject. "Alright you three, if you don't mind getting started." Standing aside and having them get into position, he ordered Ichigo to be ready to open the gate the same time with Ulquiorra. When both were opened Grimmjow is to feed the two cores of the two gates and let the scientist take over the rest of the delicate process. "The precipice world should be clear for the time being without the sweeper coming into play. Grimmjow, I need you to shoot your cero into both gates and connect the energies together on each side. You have to keep it the same power level, if one is too much then this will fall apart and we'll have to start over."

"Easier said than done," he grumbled. He focused on his hands to fire a cero with the same amount of power. A difficult task to be done, he waited until the timing was right.  
Slowly he shot a cero into both gates at the same time and could feel the two gates connecting for a short time. But the two worlds having to become one was difficult, and the power between each gate was eager to shut itself down. Feeding more power into both gates and trying to grasp the power inside, something snapped, a loud crack echoed in the underground room and had everyone stop breathing as they heard the sound get louder.

"What's happening?" Ichigo spoke nervously. Kisuke looked around and found nothing out of the ordinary, but the pressure in the room did shift uncomfortably. He looked to the power readings for both gates and the one leading to the Soul Society was off balance. The power wasn't enough.

"Something broke…" Kisuke whispered. The gates remained unchanging as they held the power level and the gate open steadily. Something inside the precipice world perhaps? He stepped lightly towards the two open gates and peered inside the darkness within and found nothing inside them. He didn't hear wrong though, something snapped. There was something wrong, but he couldn't tell what it was.  
"Continue feeding the gates and increase the power. The worlds seem to be—"

A snapping sound broke through the silence and a tear in the air began to form behind the three. Dropping everything and shutting down the gates quickly, Kisuke planted his cane into the ground to steady himself as wind kicked up the field and began to make the place look like a desert storm.

"Get back!" Kisuke quickly got out. Ulquiorra leapt away in time before being blinded by the sand. He knelt down and buried his free hand to keep him from being sucked into the deformed gate that had torn itself open.  
Ichigo dug his zanpakutou into the ground and kept himself from being sucked in when he heard Grimmjow gasping and watched as he was lifted into the air.

"Grimmjow!" Ichigo reached for him, to take hold of his hand and not have him sucked into the strange gate. Being sucked up into the air and unable to grasp at anything around him, Grimmjow was swallowed by the deformity of a gate and was completely taken. The others were ready to rush into the gate itself to retrieve him but the deformity sealed itself in a blink of an eye and vanished without a trace.

"Oh no…" Kisuke faltered where he stood and couldn't believe what happened. In seconds he witnessed a gate taking someone by force and even so much as closing. He had to get to Mayuri or Szayel to see if the two of them had felt any readings of that gate and see where it had taken Grimmjow. If not them, they would have to find a way to get the readings and locate him as quickly as possible. The experiment had taken a very wrong turn.

"What the hell just happened?!" Ichigo reached for Kisuke's collar and held him on the spot for answers. Ulquiorra wanted the same and approached slowly with a glooming glare surrounding him. They were not pleased in the slightest that something like this happened, but so much of it could have been prevented if there was some warning.

"That's what I'm going to find out," Kisuke wanted to plead more, but time was of the essence and he really needed to get that data. "I need to head to the soul society and speak with Mayuri, time is imperative Ichigo."

"Did you figure this would happen? What the hell are we going to say to—"

"I will handle the matter when I return to Las Noches." Ulquiorra spoke quickly while opening a garganta. He took one more look back towards Kisuke and a heavy aura emanated from him. "If you dare make Hanako cry I will end you."

A threat that both don't want to come to fruition, Kisuke escaped Ichigo's grip and opened up a senkaimon back to the soul society and the two departed quickly to seek answers.

~OoOoO~  
**Kasumi**

Having ran farther than intended, I was bent over gasping for air and leaned against a wall to take a breather. My legs were sore from sprinting so hard and I feel like I'm swallowing fire with each gasp. But having ran this hard in such a short time, it gave me a good chance to recall some of the things that's happened in a span of a year.  
In retrospect, not all of it was bad. I've experienced love, pain, fear, and a whole lot of randomness thanks to the club. Too bad everything began to change and drift apart the closer we got to graduation. But at least the school year will be over with soon…the moment I get my diploma I can take over my business without further distractions. Then again I would still have to deal with .  
"No matter how I look at it, my future is already decided for me."  
Staring blankly at the pavement and feeling my pulse become slower, it was time I headed back and explain to Kim all my troubles and perhaps hearing hers as well. Stretching out my limbs before the return home a large gust of wind kicked up and something extremely bright made me shut my eyes. As the wind picked up like a storm and kicking up the leaves around me, I heard something like tearing? Was a tree being ripped up from the ground by the wind? My ears tried making it out if I had to move away but before I could decipher if it was a tree I felt something like a human body ram into me!  
The force of whatever slammed into me took my breath away and my head hit the ground hard enough where a piercing pain ripped through my conscious mind and made me groan in response. Whatever hit me did it with everything it got and pinned me to the ground.

"Dammit that hurt…" a man—as far as the voice goes—grumbled as he lay on top of me and I felt my head still throbbing with thundering pain. "I'm going to kill that guy if it's the last thing I do," cursing to whoever he had issues with, I tapped him on the chest and winced to the movement. I managed to open my bleary eyes to whoever it was and saw him look down at me.

"Mind getting off," I spoke as evenly as I could, but my head hurt pretty bad. Hope I'm not bleeding. Heading to any clinic means the Ootori will find out and I am not dealing with that if it's the last thing I do.

"Oh," feeling his weight shift and getting up, I too was helped up and it was probably the worst thing to do since now the ground and everything around me was spinning. "Shit you hit your head," feeling his hands grab hold of me, I was braced against his chest and could hear him cursing under his breath for his mistake. "I don't know where the hell I am…" he grumbled. "Shit…this is bad enough…" grumbling and making sure I was pressed against him to not fall over, I tapped his arm to get his attention. He flinched to the touch strangely enough but it did grab his attention.

"….um…take me to my house…" I winced moving to look at him and could barely focus. "My house is not far from here…find the biggest house possible down the street with a large black gated entrance." Shutting my eyes to not see everything spin around, he seemed to understand my bad directions and started lifting me up?! "Um?!"

"It's faster this way," he said rather quickly before I felt weightless as if he jumped into the air to fly or something! "There it is," he said.  
I chanced to open my eyes and found us in the goddamn sky! Holding my sanity to not faint and feeling his muscles pressed against me as he ran on nothing but air above the buildings, he dropped down on the grounds of my home as if nothing was strange about him walking on air and continued to my front door.  
"Let's get that head tended to then," opening my door and waltzing in like he owned the place, I stupidly directed him to the cabinet that held the medical kit and got sutured up from this stranger. Baffled and unable to defy the help given to me, this entire act was bewildering in so many ways that I wanted to speak up and ask how he knows how to close head wounds, but words never left my mouth. "I did the best I could, but you should have it looked at by someone else." He admitted. "At least the bleeding stopped."

My mind went immediately to the question at hand. "…how the hell did you do that?"

"What, sew your wound?"

"No, run on air like you were on the ground!" Pain shot through my head for raising my voice and I turned and popped some aspirin in my mouth. "_No yelling_…" I whispered to myself.

"Well I ain't human," speaking matter-of-factly; he seemed quite serious about that statement. I looked at him with my head not spinning everything I looked at and saw his striking features.  
Blue hair all spiked in a particular way that fell short past his ears. Blue eyes that matched his hair color with a striking green eye liner to accentuate his features. He had a good chiseled structure to his face that followed suit to his bare chest taut with strong muscles. His clothing choice was strange, but it looked like he was ready to fight at any time with the way he looks in it. It was rather hard not staring at the six-pack in my face that led to a flattering V shape with his pants hugging his hips just right. The clothing style could possibly be a matchup for hand-to-hand combat. Flexibility being the key could explain his taste in style.

"Not human you say," clearing my throat and trying to be a little modest, I turned away. "That's ridiculous. You have to be human…if not that then what are you?"

"An Espada," he declared. "But it's interesting that you could see me. I wonder how…" seemingly curious, I gaped at him and was utterly confused.

"Espada? Somehow can see you? You must have hit your head or something when you fell on top of me. You're not a spirit," speaking logically, he faced me and put his hands on his hips.

"I guess you could say I'm a form of spirit. Not really sure how to explain it—I leave that to the crazy scientist. By the way, can ya tell me where the hell I am? Besides that can't you tell by—" he went to point to his abdomen and seemed utterly confused for something not being there and scratched his head. "The hole is gone…" he whispered. He reached for his face and seemed more in shock. "My mask too?"  
I ignored what he said and just answered the question of what town he's in.

"You're in ***."

He rubbed his jaw and fidgeted with his coat that was highly distracting to me before he looked at me with another question. "….do you know where Karakura Town is?"

"That's South from here. Maybe about a day's trip…that where you from?"  
He shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck thoughtlessly and looked around thinking to himself. I could hear him mumbling, but there was nothing in particular I could make out.  
"Look if that's where you're from I can arrange something and have you—"

"That might be easier said than done. But if I leave the moment I get here and the scientist comes up with something to bring me back something else may go wrong." He looked like he was ready to explode if he thought about anything else and begrudgingly sighed and looked back defeated. "Is it alright if I stay here a while till I figure things out?" He asked.

Thinking about letting him stay here, a total stranger, it took me a few minutes at best to consider it before I gave in. I did owe him for bringing me home and tending to my head. But then again letting a loon stay here is very questionable of me. But I owed him a debt for patching me up…loon or not, I had to repay him somehow. This guy also didn't look the type to accept money and be done with it. A thug best describes him if he were to wonder around town. And since he knows where I live he might let out that I was the one he was with last.

Taking one more careful look at the man and considering other small options, there really wasn't any I could come up with and I made my decision. "You can stay, but all I ask is you behave yourself. I can't entirely trust you since I know nothing of who you are. But you did bring me back home and even stitched my head…" trailing off, he seemed to understand and nodded.

"Then for starters I guess introductions are to be made. The name is Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez." A thumb to his chest, his chiseled features were more profound in the light as I looked at him. Taking a moment to gather myself properly, I responded.

"And I'm Kasumi Matsumoto."

"Alright then," he gave a wry smile and I felt my heart jump to it. His bearing was very different than Kyoya's and it startled me a little bit to be near this guy, but at the same time it intrigued me since he _was _different. Hopefully I'm not making a big mistake letting him stay here. I really hope Kim doesn't panic when she gets home either…this is going to be hard to explain when Kim sees him here.  
In fact, when I took a look around she wasn't home. Checking the time and noticing it was a little past noon I figured she was in class getting her senior project done. Shifting uncomfortably off the counter and slowly walking to the dining hall, I motioned for Grimmjow to follow me and I showcased the house and would find him a room he could stay in.


	6. Chapter 5

**~OoOoO~**  
**Kim**

Close to the end of the day I was ready to lose my shit with every person asking me about Kyoya and Kasumi getting married. Every question annoyed me, each person agitated me, then there was Tamaki who only _just_ heard of it after we spent the earlier morning discussing the ball to him barraging me with endless questions. He was ecstatic of the event and was _hurt_ that he was not told of this sooner. My patience on a very thin string and seeing his speaking of the possible decorum was just enough to make me snap.

"KIM! ARE YOU LISTENING! This is important; Kasumi needs to have ideas already set up for the wedding and I need your help figuring out what she likes!" I tried to interrupt him, but Tamaki went on; "Now does she like any particular animal, what kind of food is her favorite? Oh never mind the cost of catering, I know you'll just make the food since you know what she likes." At that point I just sighed and walked away from him and he didn't even notice. He even started a monologue of sorts and I just shook my head and rounded the corner.

"I thought I was going to strangle him…" rubbing my temples and heading to the car, I looked down at my cell and found no new messages from her since this morning. Hopefully she's calmed down and can think things through. The company will suffer if she's not focused enough, but I worry about her health. Stress will kill her if this continues, and what's worse is all these accumulated events that just threw her into the fray. Between school and work and even Kyoya's father it's amazing she hasn't burnt anything to the ground yet!  
But despite everything else happening, Kaoru not once saw me today and there's been no phone call or messages. _Is he avoiding me?_ I could call him, but then that makes me desperate for attention. It's been so aggravating lately not being able to carry a conversation with him as of late and I don't even know the reason as to why or how this came to be.  
As I debated sending him at least a text and asked how he was doing today, I waited around for maybe 15 minutes before giving it up.  
"Jerk," I whispered to my phone and stuffed it back in my pocket before getting into the car and driving home.

The door was unlocked and her shoes at the entrance told me she'd returned from her run. "Kasumi I'm home," coming in and hearing nothing at first, I could hear Kasumi speaking to someone rather quickly before she came to the top of the stairs all haggard looking. "Why do you have a bandage on your head?" Her eyes darting back and forth, she seemed nervous?

"Um, before answering that, I should introduce you to our guest." She turned around and waved someone to come over and I dropped my bag.  
There was a guy. Not Kyoya or any of the other Host members, but a guy who I have no clue of and he is inside our home. His features were out place to be a local here in town, and he was gruff looking to be hanging around Kasumi like a familiar. Did she pick a fight with this guy while running and make up for it by bringing him here? No that can't be it, he's twice her size. But he looks like a guy from some gangster group and I'm really nervous seeing him so close to Kasumi. Did he cause her that injury?! _ All my instincts are kicking in to be on the defensive side but she is calm and he's not doing anything. I'm so confused what to do I'm overloading.

"The names Grimmjow," he waved half-heartedly. His eyes traveled to Kasumi with a troubled look and somewhere inside of me piqued my interest to sketch him. He was so vastly different from the people here I couldn't possibly pass up the opportunity to draw him. But before acting on instinct to draw I got myself up the stairs and took a look at Kasumi's injury and noted the treatment to her head.

"How did this happen?" She shifted her footing and began telling me what had happened. Taking notes in my head to the event and the white light she described, it was an odd way of encountering someone who possibly lives in Karakura Town. A day's travel no less. "Are you feeling alright though? You look rather pale…" up close and touching her cheeks, she was so cold I thought of a freezer, but she shook her head and held my hands down.

"I'll be fine. This is merely a small bump in the head," laughing it off like it was nothing, I looked at Grimmjow and he was watching her closely. The way he stared gave me some chills like he was some predator, but somehow my instinct told me that he was no threat to us here. Possibly my cat self coming into play, but really he was strange nonetheless. "Will you be alright with it if I allow him to stay here till he gets home?"

"Hmm," distracted, "oh, yeah I don't mind at all. If he can model for me for a sketch I have in mind I'll call it fair." Making it seem a plausible reason, Kasumi thought about it for a moment if that would be alright in any standard, but she scrunched her brow and didn't have an answer.

"Grimmjow," she faced him and he seemed perturbed to be drawn, but as he gave it thought to his situation he conceded and agreed to the small favor. "Well then that settles things. Let's get some early dinner started and we can discuss more tomorrow." She winced when she turned quickly and I watched as she nearly stumbled over her own feet and watching Grimmjow's quick reflexes grabbing her arm to steady her. My ears twitched under my burette and I felt like I should be scheming something. Dismissing the thought entirely out of my head and heading to the kitchen to think of dinner, I could only itch for my sketchbook and quickly draw some outlines of him real quick. Doing so actually brought me to realize something, over and over I thought it through and for sure it looked like something I might have drawn.  
I ran to my bag, grabbed my sketchbook and flipped through the pages to my most recent sketch. The dark silhouette. I looked at Grimmjow and started sketching next to the one I already drawn out and something was clicking together. Every shape was smoothing out and details were starting to be put together and I dropped my pencil.

"Holy shit…" I gasped. Flipping through several other silhouette's I have drawn over the months and the rough outlines, there really was a similarity to this guy and my drawings. Looking at each page of empty silhouette's and rough outlines, I could hardly believe it myself if not staring at it with the subject so close. Was I somehow predicting a person like him would show up? Sure he has striking features, but for me to randomly draw a person I've never seen before is something absurd!  
_Should I bring this up to Kasumi? I'm kind of freaking out about this…_ thinking quickly for the next phase of my decision, I shook my head and shut my sketchbook quickly. "Nope. Gonna figure this out some other time and make dinner. Concentrate on one thing at a time."


	7. Chapter 6

**~OoOoO~**

**Kasumi**

While watching Kim go through several phases of scribbling down in her sketchbook and looking like she got some grand epiphany, she slammed the book shut and started muttering to herself while walking to the kitchen. I'm not one to question others but in this case I was rather concerned over that short span of time and seeing what I saw.

"…follow me Grimmjow," forgetting my train of thought and slowly getting down the stairs, I felt it odd how protective Grimmjow was acting. The reflex he showed in catching me was amazing, but now I just feel a little off-put by him. Just what makes a person feel overbearing? Was it because he's twice the build Kyoya is? His prominent features being unique to the point it fascinates me? Whatever it was I don't know how to act around him other than to be professional as though I'm at work.

"You feelin' alright walking?" His voice serious, I took a quick glance at him and saw the stern look on his face. Analytical eyes watching my every move, maybe that's making me feel this way.

"I'm fine for the most part. Feel only a little dizzy," I headed to the dining room area and sat on the couch to stay off my feet. I watched Grimmjow roam around and examine my belongings. His entire stature was so off to me. He looked like a thug from head to toe that would rob and punch your lights out. Watching him now and after he tended to my head was really throwing me off.

"Who are these guys," out of my stupor and seeing what he asked about, he was staring at an old portrait of my parents mounted on the wall above the fireplace. It was the only picture I had of them smiling and looking like parents for once.

"Those are my parents." A bitter-sweet taste filled my mouth. They left such a legacy behind for me to clean up after I really didn't know how I felt about them any longer.

"They seem rather stiff don't you think?" He was looking at the picture so seriously I didn't know how to respond right away.

"Well…yeah, maybe. But being business owners of a large franchise would make anybody stiff, don't you think?" looking at the portrait now, I guess they were smiling a little coldly. It wasn't exactly fun for them to stand still getting themselves painted.

"They comin' home anytime soon?"

"…no," I leaned into the cushion and felt that bittersweet taste again in my mouth. "They died a long time ago in a fire."

"What about the business then," he was curious, anyone would be. Normally people apologized for mentioning parents that are deceased when told, he didn't even bat an eye to the news.

"I run it. The moment I took the necessary classes and proper education I took over the company and run the show. It thrives thanks to me and my team."

"Huh," was all he could say. When I thought this conversation was over with he had begun to approach me and took hold of my chin and had me look up at him.

"Wh-what are you doing?!" I took hold of his hand and clenched tight when he easily brushed me away and examined my face closely.

"I can tell by the shade of your skin and the way you are walking you lack sleep. The body doesn't lie when it needs to recover."

"I'm fine," pulling away and feeling his hands catch hold of me, I was in shock someone would dare lay a hand on someone accommodating them! "Let go," I demanded.

"Sleep here for a bit." Authority in his voice and laying me down forcibly, I wasn't about to just fall asleep like some child. "I mean it. The way your head bled was from lack of sleep since the blood was thin. You're not steady, and you keep needing to lean on something. Just let your body relax and rest." Crossing his arms as though scolding a child I felt humiliated over his action and sat upright.

"And why should I have to listen to you?" Being stubborn, he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Because I've dealt with enough stubborn woman where I'm from and an even more stubborn child waiting for me back home. Shut your eyes and sleep," growling out his words without sounding too gruff, I stared at him and said nothing more to this man being so forward with me. But as I shut my eyes to appease him, the room was quiet, his presence was slowly slipping away and I was starting to think of nothing.  
At first there was nothing happening, but the more I kept my eyes shut and thinking less of Kyoya and all that was happening the more I grew weary and started to doze off.

_It wasn't immediate, but after my stubbornness went away and I finally just let myself relax, sleep came so quickly to me. Why it turned out to be Grimmjow's insistence that does it, but for some odd reason he's got this aura around him that makes me feel safe yet unsafe? I don't really know how to place the words for him. All I know is that after this situation and all the attention I've been getting has really put a toll on me. Surprisingly enough my mind hasn't broke yet, but I think I'm nearing that moment soon when it comes to Kyoya's family. I don't want to be married to him out of some stupid obligation or a suggestion from someone else. I still like Kyoya, but it's been getting harder and harder for me to do even that much and continue this relationship any further. Just what…what do I want?_


	8. Chapter 7

**Sparring with a new partner**

Preparation for the end of the host club has really started coming into play. We've been running around like crazy trying to get everything together for our biggest event we've ever pulled off. For this club anyways. What is it you ask?  
The Rose Maiden Ball galaxy theme!  
Now technically with all that's happened to me thus far with Kyoya and his 'proposal', Kyoya did postpone everything till the end of the ball for my official answer. Though I've tried for the last week to get Kyoya to speak with me properly and call this whole thing off, his father had come with an astute answer saying this should be thought of more. Since I'm merely still a child in their eyes I clearly had no say in the matter. And as much as I want to punch them all in the face, clearly that is not an answer for me. And since my encounter with Grimmjow and his confusing questions and behavior, this entire week has been a strange mess.

While tending to a few guests of mine, the girls kept staring at me while fiddling with their teacups and I had to stop myself from sighing so deeply knowing the question they wished to ask.  
"Is there something on your mind?"

"Ah, um…if you don't mind me asking…are you and Kyoya really matched to be wed?"

"Lady Rise!" One of the girls chided.

"It's quite alright," seeing their eyes widen with curiosity and also able to see Kyoya within hearing distance, this was something I could ultimately screw up or make a stand. "Kyoya and I are matched by his father, but no true announcement of the _final_ decision has been met."

"I-is that so…" they each fumbled the remaining tea in their hands and I played the part of a devious mistress and leaned forward while brushing a finger under her chin.

"Unless its you who wish to take me as your own?" Being as sultry as possible and seeing the poor girls face glow red and steam coming out of her ears, I played my part intricately well and saw Kyoya eyeing me from afar. "Ladies, our time is up…I must leave you and tend to some matters."

"Y-yes Kasumi-sama~" They were enamored more or less and I walked away with a grin on my face while also sensing Kyoya following behind.

"Kasumi." His cool voice low and only audible for me to hear him, I glanced back and saw his worried expression. "What was that?"

"Hmm…merely playing the part of a hostess, nothing more."

"Your answer. Why was is so curt?"  
I wanted to shove him away from me and yell at him for his fathers doing but knew that would cause far more trouble than necessary.

"Was my answer wrong in any way? This marriage your father arranged was one done without my consent and published in the tabloid. And after he so _graciously_ extended the timeframe to after the ball, it makes no difference telling anyone asking that this is merely on hold for further discussion."

"But you're making it sound as though it won't happen?"  
He was honestly perplexed as he looked at me but the thought that was running through my mind was having him actually speak to me. I've been trying for a week to get him to do just this and he does it on his own after what he heard? How pompous can one be?

"Kyoya, as much as this discussion should happen this is neither the time or place for it. If you actually wish to talk about it for a change with me then arrange it. I have to go back to work for the graduation ceremony." Brushing him off for the first time after all the times he's brushed me off, it felt good. But as I grabbed flyers and other materials for the dance heading to the council room, I slowed my pace and found myself in the very hallway where Kyoya bandaged my back. I stopped at the large open window overlooking the courtyard and clock tower and remembered how Kyoya slyly whispered sweet words in my ear. It feels like forever ago since then. I can recall it so clearly too.  
I stared at my hand, recalling those brief encounters here in the hallway and how cheeky he was each time. I knew I was stubborn about my feelings and shoved every ounce of it down and continued to avoid it happening. But each and every time I pushed him away he always seemed to thread me back to him. So then why has so much changed in just a span of a year? Why do I feel such sorrow each time I'm with him rather than that spark we once held? This feeling is so raw and new to me…not even Zen made this happen. I felt afraid and empty with him while with Kyoya I felt such new interests form and was happy. Now the feeling is lost and I don't know where to grab onto to get it back.

"Ah, Matsumoto-san," one of the regulars who visit the club sought me out and ran over. I quickly disposed my turbulent feelings and put on my womanly mask to match the host club image.

"Yes," answering her call, her face turned red and she shyly twisted part of her dress before speaking again.

"I…I was wondering if you would dance with me at the ball…" asking shyly, I merely smiled and took her hand like Tamaki would and kissed the back of her hand gently.

"Sorry, but for that evening I am taken by another. But please don't fret," playing Tamaki wasn't hard anymore, it was easy and well practiced since I had to deal with him every single day. "I would enjoy seeing you in a dress that evening and watching how you dance."  
She swooned with her face flushed a deep crimson. She thanked me in kind and ran back to her friend at the end of the hall and waved goodbye.  
Taking my time to collect myself once more before presenting myself to the council, I walked the hall towards the office to drop off my reports when I happened to see Kim and Kaoru speaking. Instinctively I hid behind the wall. I don't know why, but when seeing them I felt it improper to interrupt.

"Kaoru…" her voice seemed strained? "Is there something you need to tell me? We haven't spoken in weeks and you keep avoiding my gaze each time I meet up with you."  
This sounds extremely personal and most definitely something I should not be overhearing. Before I listened in on anything more I went back towards the host club and would drop off the stuff to the office later.

Alone again and merely placing the stuff in the art room for later, walking to the courtyard and having a quiet moment to myself felt like the right course of action. My thoughts are all over the place and I need to take a breather.

"Kasumi," a familiar voice, I turned around and found both Mori and Honey down the hall!

"Mori-senpai, Honey-senpai," a sigh of relief washed over me and I smiled. "What brings you back to Ouran?" Catching up to them and giving a brief hug, it was good seeing familiar faces that don't stress me out.

"Kasu-chan," Honey looked a little worried when he looked down at me from atop Mori's shoulders, and I think they knew something about the marriage proposal. They knew me so well, it was hard to hide anything from them. But I really didn't want them to come and worry over me about that. Especially when the two are busy with their own family matters and college.  
"Are you alright Kasu-chan? We heard about it…you know…" he didn't say it out loud but I knew exactly what he meant.

"I see," lowering my eyes and trying to fake a smile now, this was getting harder and harder to avoid. "Everything's fine," I lied. "Can you believe Kyoya would propose to me? Crazy isn't it," my voice breaking, it was just so difficult to lie to these two. Anyone else I could fake out, but these two have seen through me over and over that it's pointless. Yet here I am still trying to lie to them…and myself. Just why is it so hard for me to accept all this? To just let everything fall into place and not think so harshly over the small details?

"Stop," Mori placed his hand on my head and I knew that he saw through me. "We came because we were worried about you."

"What made you worry…" I asked. My eyes no longer meeting theirs, it was Mori who made me look back up to them and even he furrowed his brow with concern.

"This," Honey pulled out a magazine that didn't match the morning tabloid Kim showed me. "It's not out to the public yet, but I saw it in my father's office and had to know for sure."  
I took it gingerly from his hand and froze in place when I saw the headline. On the front cover were Kyoya and his initial proposal to the public. It was dated last week…which meant that Kyoya himself, along with his father, have entirely decided my future. This magazine was to be released to the public in a couple days stating that I agreed to the proposal and consented to an early marriage.  
"We heard that the decision was to be made after the ball, have you already given your answer then?" Honey asked.

My hands shaking, I couldn't hold back anything anymore and I felt something snap inside my head. A string of my own sanity twined too tightly finally gave out and here I stood fuming. "…that asshole!" My voice booming with anger, the cacophony of sounds from my voice lingered until Honey got off Mori and approached me cautiously.

"Kasu-chan," worried, he tugged my sleeve and I pulled away.

"…You personally grabbed this from your father's office, correct?" Quickly he answered, from there I crumbled the magazine in my hands and stuffed it in my blazer. "I need to end this fiasco of a nightmare before it escalates."

"Kasumi," Mori stopped me by taking hold of my shoulder and flinched when I gave him a look.

"I'm sorry you two had to see this side of me, but in no way shape or form am I allowing the Ootori family to do with me however they want! You two know me better than this and I don't want this to destroy any relationship we all have but this…this took it too far and I can't stand things being done behind my back!" Storming off, my blood was burning through my veins. The nerve of him to make my decision before graduating, before the ball even started after allowing the extended time, this took every ounce of my maturity to the edge and shattered all reasoning.

Rather than going home I thought of a different course of action. I went to work and began furiously pulling strings and making different connections with some business partners overseas I've been dealing with. Several transactions were still in the air and a few things needed to be done to make our companies tied together a success. But after turning over a few favors and willingness to comply to several demands that would thus help my company thrive in the future, the zoom meeting was over with and I sent out all the remaining documents and policies over to them and signed each contract.  
"_Do we have a deal then Matsumoto?_" The leading chairman of a large American company wanted to be sure all was accounted for.  
"Everything is in compliance, I am sending my final contract now and look forward to our union."  
"_Matsumoto, are you sure your up for this? Having us join this faction and also complying with the over seas district will place a great deal of work on your shoulders._" The CEO of the oil company was direct, but he was wise and has helped my parents with a great deal of things in the past.  
"Everything on my end including the branches that I've tended to have greatly improved over the years. This will only work in our favor as each of us work diligently to avoid any issues in the future of the companies growth."  
"_And the donation sect? That will not be affected?_" The Chairman of the leading donors around the globe voiced his concern as well.  
"I assure each of you that the Matsumoto corp will undoubtfully be the leading core of every company to go through with every transaction without hitches. My base of operations being here and my sister companies al around the globe, we can successfully send and gather raw materials and shipments anywhere. The opportunities of the transportation company will grow exponentially and there will be no one to top us."  
"_Matsumoto transport and foreign affairs will no doubt help us. We look forward to the partnership in the coming years._"  
"I as well. Thank you for your time gentleman, I have other matters I must attend to."  
Ending the remaining zoom meeting and rubbing my neck, the smile on my face to a successful partnership was everlasting. The Ootori family will no longer have access to my company and would only be able to stay put here in Japan and be unable to gather strength from outside sources. I've overtaken the trade, making it impossible for any company not affiliated with me to do any business overseas. Once I handed in the remaining paperwork to my secretary to finish the remaining ties to Ootori, severing us entirely from doing business with them, it was only a matter of time till he heard of it.

Several hours waiting in my office, seeing the charts fluctuate and the market grow in my favor, I heard my secretary beyond the door trying to calm someone on the phone and knew it was him at long last.  
*ping*  
"Yes…"  
"Mr. Ootori is on the line wishing to speak with you."  
"Send him through."  
folding my hands in my lap and waiting, the call patched through and I clicked the button to begin.  
"Matsumoto speaking," my voice steady, the line was quiet but something was off about this being Mr. Ootori that I waited for.

"_Kasumi,_" Kyoya was on the phone. "_Kasumi I just received word from my father you…you separated the companies? What is this about?_"

"Kyoya," my words were unsteady at first, but the Matsumoto blood in me took place and I straightened in my chair. "You are correct. I did pull away our companies."

"_Why?!_"

"Do you really need an explanation? Let me enlighten you for a moment," standing now and pacing the room, I turned the tv on for background noise and gathered my thoughts quickly. "You deliberately deceived me, you and your father. This grand scheme of yours for this marriage and letting me have the right to decide _after_ the ball, _after_ we graduate was merely a farce." I paused to catch my breath and felt my blood still boiling. "I saw the magazine…front cover headline even…does any of this ring a bell to you?" Taking out the very one and crumbling it in my hand, tossing it angrily into the bin, I was done with everything. "How could you look at me in the face each day and knowingly play with me this way? Is that why you were so distraught of my answer earlier today? Makes sense to me now, but damn…I'm not some trophy to be won in the industry of power."  
He was quiet, nothing but his unsteady breathing was heard. Clenching my fist and teeth and hurt beyond what I thought I'd feel over this, I stopped my quivering lips and faced the reality. Hardened my heart and took control of my emotions so I could end this.  
"This little game of yours stops here. I am the sole owner of my parent's legacy and I built it from where they left it! To think you of all people would stoop so low as to use _me_ for marriage to get in on my company—did nothing matter to you? Those days spent at school and out, making me fall for you, the small talk and the constant reminder of your presence—everything you had done was this the result you wanted?"

"_Kasumi that's not—_" I stopped him there and laughed.

"First it was Zen, and to think I allowed myself to trust and _believe_ you to be different from him. I'm calling this entire charade off; you will not have anything to do with my company and neither will you have anything to do with me."

"_Wait Ka—" _I hung up the phone angrily and returned to my seat and took a deep breath. The real anger not ceasing, I wanted Mr. Ootori to call me so I could seethe out my anger at him directly.  
As if on cue, the phone rings. My secretary already patching it through, I picked it up calmly and on the other line I could hear him.  
"Matsumoto speaking."

"_This is Mr. Ootori speaking,"_ his voice was trembling with anger. Good. I hope he was angry, because the anger I had was fueled by him and fanned by his son.

"Evening Mr. Ootori," I answered sternly; placing him on speaker and my fingers folded in my lap and crossing my leg over the other. "Mr. Ootori, so good of you to call me at this time. There is a matter of which I must discuss with you." I felt my personality shift. The cold me that I used to be long ago was surfacing and I used it. The face of a businesswoman with no emotion. A cold and heartless woman with no care who fell below my feet as long as my company thrived. This is my face of a pure aristocrat of my upbringing and I was using every ounce of it.

"_Miss Matsumoto…_" the anger trembling through his voice, I waited. "_Why did you sever our company ties?_"

"Why?" I scoffed with a smile pulling the corners of my lips. "I may be young Mr. Ootori, but having you decide my future to your son without my consent was a little far." Openly displeased, he was silent. "You angered me Mr. Ootori…doing something like this is merely an example of power I have. With this change I would like you to know your place in the food chain of business partnership. In hindsight you do not hold such power to trifle with someone like me and I plan on making that well known. You went behind my back and announced to the press of a marriage that was undecided. You of all people should understand why I am not overly fond of this relationship and now I decline the marriage with your son Kyoya, and all other sons you have amongst you." I could hear him fuming and something clatter on his end of the line. Good. Feeling this angry was nothing compared to mine.  
"Our partnership is entirely over with and it won't change anything to my side of the charts. The connections I have overseas are far more reliable than a scheming man who uses those around him for profitable gain."  
I heard a clatter of sorts again on the line and figured he slammed his fist down. My voice never wavered. This was the final draw.  
"There will be a public announcement of my decision on the night of the Rose Maiden Ball. I will have reporters there and several other news anchors to see to the correct information without any deceit. You are no longer allowed to openly share your 'marriage' idea to the public. I will have you stripped down from that throne you're so proud of. Do not anger me further."

"_I see…_" I could tell he was caught in a spiral. Not wavering his voice as he spoke briefly back at me, I stopped him and made my final move.

"Mr. Ootori, as the sole heiress to my company, I have every right to choose whom to marry. Your son and I were together as a couple through school until you began to insert ideas into his head that led to this separation. I will reveal to the public that this wedding was called off and that my company no longer associates with the Ootori from here on out. Do I make myself clear?" Making sure that this was heard correctly, that I was not to be misunderstood, no one was to question me and use me for any personal gain ever again!  
The line was silent for a long time before I heard him sigh over the phone and admit his defeat. Apologies were made properly, and I felt relief for the first time in several months and hung up the phone and leaned back in my chair comfortably.  
"I did it…I broke it all off." Speaking with myself and having everything come into perspective, my only obstacle now was dealing with Kyoya at school. "I wonder if things would return to normal…?" Laughing at myself thinking that it could be normal between us, I turned to my computer and rummaged through some old files. Pictures of Kyoya and I throughout the year, the Host Club activities, all the trouble we went through was saved in such a small folder. I browsed maybe a hundred photos and several videos before I collected my thoughts to see things through. "Things change for the better…I need to change and move forward."


	9. Chapter 8

~OoOoO~

The hour was late when I returned home. Dinner was left for me on the kitchen counter, wrapped and with a note from Kim to speak with her in the morning. Sighing for the news I would have to break to her and dreading everything that will come after, I ate the dinner she made and sat at the table for a while in silence. My body might have felt tired and a little rigid, but sleep was not coming for me any time soon.  
Dishes clean and put away, I was just so antsy.  
"Maybe I should go down to the dojo…" no harm sparring a bit down below since it's soundproof. I won't be disturbing Kim or Grimmjow at this time of night. Deciding on that and heading down, a figure in the shadows lurked around the corner and startled me. I went in for a punch before my hand was caught and Grimmjow came into light.

"Hey," Grimmjow's hand was large as he held my punch with a raised eyebrow, I quickly retracted and apologized.

"I'm sorry about that, I wasn't expecting someone to lurk in the dark. Why were you even doing that in the first place?" My heart pounding still, I could have hurt him if not for his reflex, which was superb, but punching a guest would be insulting in more ways than one.

"Heard some noises from the kitchen and saw you. Though you seem out of sorts coming in this late…" His arms crossed and looking at me, he seemed he had something on his mind. His brow was creased, and he was frowning. His entire demeanor was solemn and was making me feel a little awkward. Even after knowing him a near two weeks its still hard to gain any comfort between us and what he needs of us.

"You uh, you still figuring out how to get to Karakura Town?" I asked.

"…yeah…but the more I stay here the more confused I am of things. It would be so much easier if I could just open the damn gate from here. That or have them come here already and figure this shit out." He grumbled something ridiculous, but as I fidgeted to get to the dojo he turned back at me and cocked his eyebrow.  
"Where you headin' this late at night? This ain't the way to your room."

"Oh," not expecting him to care really, I pointed to the staircase hidden around the corner and numbly spoke. "I was thinking on sparring for a bit against the wooden block to release some of this frustration I got. It, well, it helps ease the tension." Perhaps making it seem weird that a woman would spar to get rid of tension, much less just openly speak it, he seemed intrigued to the idea.

"You have a dojo here?" Openly interested, seems he was eager to have a look.

"Do you…do you want to take a look?"

"Yeah. I could use a place to release my own tension." He rolled his shoulders a bit and popped his neck. "I think a good sparring would be most helpful." A wry grin parted his lips and a wicked sheen rose in his blue eyes.  
I felt something like an eagerness to fight swell up inside me but knew better than to automatically fight someone new. As advanced as I am in martial arts it would not be wise to just outright challenge him.  
"Nice place…"  
Complimenting the dojo as we walked in, he looked around the equipment and noticed the mirrors on one side of the place and none on the other, he said nothing as he grabbed the wooden sparring poles and started placing them in the ground where a clutch device held them in place.

"The wraps and chalk are just over here if you want to help yourself to them." He nodded and merely focused on the block before checking to see if it was in properly. "I'm guessing this isn't your first time in a dojo?"

"Buddies of mine have one…I go in and spar once in a while…" a forlorn look in his eyes told me there was more to it than that, but once I grabbed my wraps and went to the changing room to put on my uniform, I wondered if wearing the latex would be disruptive to him? It's normally just me and Kim down here so I never gave thought to the workout clothes.

"You can do whatever you want there, I'll be over here." Standing opposite of him and doing my stretches before getting into any of the equipment. I started with a few simple strokes to the wooden block. Imagining it as Kyoya and hitting him for all he's done. I increased my strikes to kicks as the imagery became more profound of his father and all that's happened that the block was spinning and being beaten pretty harshly. I kept this pace going until I heard Grimmjow whistle with interest?

"You got some moves. Wanna have at it with me?" Tempting me with his playful smile and raising a hand to come at him, I was still fired up from my practice and took on his offer.

"I'm warning you now, I'm good."

"We'll see about that." His fist up and rearing to have a go with me, I took my stance and was prepared to show off a bit.

"Alright then, but I'm not easy. I'm a black belt," feeling confident, he gave a soft chuckle to my words and came at me swiftly for a right hook. Managing to block his attack and go for a punch, his fist caught my hand and the way we moved without hesitation was thrilling!  
Over and over again I wasn't able to land a hit and neither was he and the challenge was something I desperately needed. Since he wasn't holding back and neither was I, I think we were both into this like a real match. The sweat beading off our faces and both grinning like wild animals made it all the more alluring to the fight. Almost on par with Honey-senpai! This guy was a fighter and every strike I tried landing he would return it. Without delay and tearing off my karate rob and only in my latex gear, he took off his jacket and was ready for me.  
"You're not bad Grimmjow."

"Not bad," his movement so quick I was thrown off-guard and face-to-face with him, he held my arms up over my head and loomed over me like some feral cat. "I'm impressed you could keep up with me."

Taking my mind a moment to register what he did, I caught myself grinning in excitement. "Me…keep up with you? Quite the opposite," getting myself out of the hold and turning the tables on him and pinning his leg, he never did stop smiling. "It is I who is impressed that you could keep up with me."

"Then," he turned the tables and had pinned me against the floor so quickly I barely managed to blink. "Keep at it and you might just win."

"We'll see who wins."  
The match we had continued for who knows how much longer. I was having too much fun to notice the time. And even if I did look I don't think it would have mattered for I was thrilled having such a challenging opponent. Unlike Honey and Mori they would stop if they thought they were going to hurt me. Grimmjow hasn't even held back a punch or tackle as he pinned me either on the floor or wall. A challenge I haven't had in a long while. I knew at some point we would have to call it a draw, but I wasn't willing to give any satisfaction of him having the upper hand with me. If anything I wanted to win against him and make myself feel better I was not weak.


	10. Chapter 9

**Kim**

Dawn broke and I felt my body stretch with contempt as the early morning sunrise warmed my face. Ears twitching, I yawned and heard my body pop.  
"Oh that felt nice~"  
My morning routine started by grooming myself and fixating my hair fashionably to hide my ears and choosing a cute burette for the day.  
"I wore the satin yesterday, today I'm feeling sassy," among the many burette's I owned and made, I picked out the blue-jeaned hat with red trim. "This should be good for the day." Making sure no tears were visible and getting my uniform, I pulled out a red ribbon to tie around my waist to at least match the trim of my beret. "I wish I could change the color of these banana dresses." Sulking to wear such a color unbecoming of me, getting ready was tranquil until I felt something was a little off. "Did Kasumi ever come home?"  
After getting ready and heading down to the kitchen to find clean dinner plates done I felt slightly relieved but felt a thump beneath the floor and jumped a little.  
"What was that?!"  
If I had a tail it probably would be frazzled and puffed up like a static marshmallow!  
"No way," not thinking it would be justified, but I headed to the stairs leading down into the dojo and the moment I opened the door I could hear Kasumi fighting. Slowly peeking and seeing something straight out of a kung fu movie, Grimmjow and Kasumi were going at it without any equipment on and holding shinai's.

"Fix your posture and lower those shoulders, otherwise you'll just fall victim to an attack." Grimmjow barked his orders and I watched with amazement to her reaction.  
I haven't seen her train this rough since she finished her private tutoring years back. She was drenched in sweat, her breathing haggard, hair was completely disheveled. She launched at him without so much as a warning and he actually fended her off with merely one hand!

"Better, but it can use more improvement."

"Right," breathing hard and backing up, she took her stance again and he took his.

"Now come at me as if trying to kill," his eyes narrowed and I watched as he planted his feet, Kasumi took a sharp breath in and launched with everything she had and clashed against his shinai. I could see both their muscles flex and the groan off the shinai, this was truly a remarkable match. "Now that's improvement," he complimented.  
Watching the two for that moment made me see something I never witnessed before. Respect? Admiration perhaps? Whatever the case I figured the two would be starving before long and headed back up to make an easy breakfast. I had to head to the school early to prepare some of the graduation decorum being used at the ball and I was not going to let an amateur ruin anything.

*phone rings*  
Swiftly getting out my phone and seeing the caller ID, I answered professionally. "Kim speaking," it was Mrs. Hitachiin on the line, I wonder what she needed this early?

_"__Morning darling, can I bother you a moment? Of course I can,"_ she laughed. _"I need you to come by the house today and look over your work. The designs were simply stunning for this catwalk, but I need to modify a few to tailor to the models. Will you come by the house and do this for me before I head out to the show?"_

"Of course, when shall I be over there?" Pulling out my pocket planner, she seemed really pleased on the phone.

_"__Let's make it for 9—the show starts around 12 but I want to be sure there is plenty of time for you to work on the dresses. I do believe my boys should be home as well, they have no prior arrangements as far as I am aware of this early in the morning."_

"…I'll be there to make the modifications, thank you for using my designs for your show." dismissing the fact Kaoru would be there, I tried playing it off that it was no big deal. I never want their mother to worry over our relationship, especially because I work for her now and it would be extremely awkward.  
"I will be over then in a few as I finish up here at home. There's also a few design ideas I wish to ask your opinion on for our ball theme. Your input would be greatly appreciated."

"_I would love to darling. Bring whatever it is over and let me have a look see._"  
Appreciating that and hanging up the phone to plan my morning, I finished getting ready and grabbed my projects and headed down to get the two warriors downstairs to come up and eat. Heading down to the dojo to call them up for breakfast I found both of them passed out on the floor. Seems they finally hit their wall on stamina and knocked out.  
"Seriously you guys, how long were you two even down here for?" I sighed. "Though this is an opportune time to get measurements…" Shrugging my shoulders and measuring a knocked out Grimmjow while I had the chance, I left a note for the two and headed out.

~OoOoO~

The mansion, like any other rich oriented family, was over the top with décor. The moment I passed the fountain I happened to get a glimpse of someone in the window off to my right. My breath hitched when I found Kaoru there…but not alone. He was with a rather cute looking girl and laughing with her about something with a sparkle to his eyes. I wished it was Hikaru I was seeing, I really wish it were, because I watched as Kaoru brought the girls face to his and kissed her.  
A feeling like no other crept inside my chest and burned. I felt like running back home, but my job was here and there was so much to do. I straightened up, faced what was ahead of me and continued walking while holding back my tears. But the throbbing pain in my chest was fresh and searing. Even my ears felt like they were on fire and it took everything I had not to turn the car around and peel out of the driveway.  
Getting out and holding the folder of all the designs, I took a deep breath in and calmed myself before facing Mrs. Hitachiin.

"Ah, Kim darling," hearing my name and facing Mrs. Hitachiin, she wrapped her delicate hands around my shoulders and guided me into the dining hall where the models waited and an entire team fashioning the entire set was getting them ready. Feeling better working rather than facing Kaoru, I smiled as I faced her.  
"My dear these will be the two I need tending to in size, seems the dear had a little too much fun drinking and gained some water weight."

"Not an issue," getting straight to it with a hop in my step, the team around me watched as I stitched and threading effortlessly without stopping and bunched the material in a way to hide the new marks.  
Once the models for the show were done and cared for I showed Mrs. Hitachiin my ideas for the ball and she loved the ideas and inserted her own delicate features into the mix. She was wanting to see it even if just for a moment and clapped her hands to have hundreds of fabric come flying towards her with several woman ready to be models. I found two models that were similar in size to Kasumi and I—even with our muscle definition—and started tailoring the dresses onto them and adjusting everything. The silk was the hardest to deal with for my dress since I wanted this to really flow like seeing water rippling down the dress. It was such a challenge that I enjoyed every second of it to the brim. Kasumi's was the most challenging since I wanted the dress to ripple and change in color from black to a sparkling red. I found the inspiration from a beach with red water and black sand and just _had_ to incorporate the theme into the dress somehow. Mine was of similar taste but I loved the vibrancy of the ocean at night with the electrifying bioluminescence in the tropics. The glowing in the water when disturbed matched my emotions perfectly and I wanted to wear that.

"Such vibrant ideas my dear, I love the theme of the ball and this will surely be an attractive display of your work."

"That's the idea. And I did get some measurements for a possible matching outfit to Kasumi's dress. I was wondering if you would be willing to take on the venture?"

"Oh," her excitement not withdrawn as she took the notes I made of Grimmjow, she was eager. "Is her partner not going to be Kyoya?" She asked with a confused expression.

"I'm thinking Kasumi will have a different escort to the ball." Knowing enough of her troubles lately and not wanting to create matching outfits for them, the host club members were all going to have different outfits anyhow. Tamaki is in charge of that.

"I see. Then is her escort a rugged sort or sophisticated? This is quite important as I will be needing some visual to create this masterpiece."

"I'd say slightly rugged but strangely mature. Kind of a wild beast needing to be tamed."

"How feisty." She giggled and was amusing her imagination when she gasped lightly in a motherly tone. "Kaoru dear," hearing his name and turning so quick to find him with the girl I saw, my chest clenched and I focused back onto my dresses. "Hello Anne, are you here again for the meeting about the ball?"

"Yes ma'am," her lilting voice even sounded cute. Is this where his attention drew to? She looked like a mouse, short hair and a very small frame compared to mine. Normal ears too…  
"Oh, is that Kim?" Seeing me and hearing Kaoru's surprised reaction and watching as he took a side-step away from her, my heart ached. Rather than show me truthfully or honing up to his actions he would rather try and hide it. "Is that the dress your working on for the ball?" She came over merrily without a care in the world to what she's doing and I felt my body tense.

"Yes," keeping a cool face and trying not to stab her with the needle, she gazed upon my work like a little girl in a princess store.

"This is wonderful! Kaoru don't you think this is simply beautiful?" First name basis…they must have been at this for some time then.

"Um, Anne," he approached slowly with awkwardness and caught my eyes. "Kim," I stopped him there and motioned towards the mouse-girl.

"What size are you," asking her directly, her face lit up and she gave me all her measurements. "With this there is a dress back at the school I have that will fit you. Alterations will be needed, so please come by the club room to be fitted."

"Are you really allowing me to wear one of your dresses?!"

"Of course, any girl would want a dress suitable to dance in with someone they like." Jabbing at him and seeing the hurt on his face, it mattered not. "I'll be waiting for you back at school and getting everything sorted."

"Oh my gods thank you!" Leaping on me with glee and absolute joy, I saw Mrs. Hitachiin's face crinkle with confusion and just closed off my feelings right here and now.  
After watching her leave and finishing my ideas and dresses for Kasumi and I to wear, it was getting late and I needed to head out.

"Thank you for all your input Mrs. Hitachiin, this was very productive for me."

"I must thank you dear for coming on such short notice. I will have this suit finished in a timely matter and have one of my men send it to you personally."

"That means a lot to me, thank you."  
Taking leave and passing Kaoru waiting by the door without Anne, he tried speaking but I quickened my pace to get away.

"Kim, please wait." Following me out and hearing such a desperate plea in his voice made my face contort angrily.

"I don't want to speak with you." My pace quicker, he caught up and took hold of my arm. "Let go of me," I spat.

"Just _listen_ to me," he pleaded.

"No!" Ripping my arm away from him and glaring, he seemed hurt by my actions. "Why do you look like the victim in this? I just saw you with that girl! It would not have made me so angry if you two were just talking, but you even _kissed_ her!" My words were seething. I couldn't even hold back. "If you wanted to break up with me then you should have done it last we talked. But instead I find you cheating on me rather than letting me go! What the hell is the matter with you? Why all the secrecy? I would have been fine with it if you just spoke with me."

"Kim _please_ listen to what I have to say," he pleaded once more. His fervent reach made me angry and I slapped his hand away without mercy.

"No…I don't want to hear your excuses. This is over between us Kaoru. I'm not standing for this…" he looked shocked, but then he simply accepted it without another word and deep down I wanted him to hold me and say it wasn't over between us. But his acceptance was the final line. Turning my back on him and getting in the car, I drove around town rather than head to school and I cried. Damn it all I cried and sobbed so ugly I had to blast the radio on to drown it out.

This was the first time I ever broke up with someone, in fact, this was my first relationship in my life of freedom from what I was really set forth to do with my life. My feelings were boiling over and I pulled over to an empty lot and threw my hat to the ground and crumpled underneath myself and let out my emotions in heaving sobs. These feelings were dreadful. What right did he have to put me through this and act like he was the victim in this? Where did we go wrong in our relationship to invoke cheating? My ears folded back against my head and I could barely see through the torrential sobs that I knew my make-up was all over my face. My heaving cries carried over and echoed all around me and I cared not who would hear or see me at this point. It felt good letting it all out. My chest was feeling lighter with each cry and I could feel myself getting put back together like a puzzle piece that had gone missing. If this pain is something I would have to go through each time I go out with someone, I rather be the sideline girl and watch others be in love and never be this hurt again.  
When thinking like this I saw Kasumi's face flash in my mind and thought about her night with Kyoya when she came back crying. Is she going through this? Have we cared for and loved these guys this much just for them to hurt us like this? If I had known better when the signs were there I would have never tried putting them together and I would have stayed clear from the twins. Sure they are still my fancy and kind and funny, but I should have been more focused on my schoolwork and never get myself or Kasumi involved in love. We were so better off…I should have just stayed focused as her friend and caretaker. My life is such a mess and I was given purpose for a reason. Sure it got out of hand down the line but dammit all this was what I was made for!  
"I should have never fallen for him…we should have never fallen for any kind of guy if this was going to be the outcome." I stayed in the car for a long while sobbing before even attempting to go home and forget school and gave everything a long thought.


	11. Chapter 10

**Kasumi**

I almost screamed when I saw Grimmjow beside me with his bare chest in my face. Having spaced out that we overexerted ourselves sparring that we both crumbled to the floor and passed out. My muscles ached horribly being on the floor, I could feel every movement scream in agony and looked at the welts on my arms knowing they will bruise.  
"I haven't sparred like this in forever…" feeling pretty good even with the soreness, it was uplifting. And it was a bonus that I managed to sleep! "I'm starving…" my stomach growled angrily; I slowly pushed myself up to stand when I yelped to being grabbed onto and pulled into a tight hug!  
_Seriously…?!_ Seeing how he grabbed me and looked like I was made into some kind of body pillow, I sighed and was stumped on what to do. Tapping on my knee and pondering this situation, I stared at his face and really 'looked' at him. His hair was disheveled, face was scrunched as he slept, but his robust features was attractive. I wanted to draw him out, to really get the image down on paper, but that would be super strange! I felt my face burn thinking about it and faced a different direction, but as his arm tensed to pull me closer I couldn't help but let out a small yelp to how easily he moved me. "Just how strong are you?" I weigh a ton and not even the boys could move me if they tried it!  
His grip loosened, I tried prying his arm off slowly so I could get up and found myself hardly able to really move him. Like a lead weight his arm was not going anywhere. Giving up for the time being and not paying attention, when I thought I was scotch free I felt him shift and my body moved with him as he pulled me underneath his torso!

"Mmm…" groaning as he moved, his arm tensing and pulling me under, I was far too freaked out by this sudden intimacy and couldn't make a sound. He was not awake, his eyes barely open with full grogginess and he yawned deeply while nudging his face closer to my chest. "Mmm…princess…" whispering in his sleep and not knowing why it was a pet name, he hugged me tighter and came towards my face before grinning and nibbled my collarbone!

"G-Grimmjow!" Gasping to the action and hard to get out of his death-vice, the next thing I felt put me into a stupor when he began kissing and sucking on my nape! "NOPE, Wake up! W-Wake up!" Frazzled at this point and squirming, he groaned to the sudden thrashing and started to open his eyes a bit more. "Grimmjow!" Yelling, his eyes snapped open and his face changed to a sudden realization of his actions.

"Shit…sorry," unwrapping himself from me and scooting away from him quickly, I touched the place he kissed and felt my neck burning from the touch. "…you could've punched me…" abashed as he got up, he popped his neck and glanced down at me.

"It was rather difficult to do that…" eyes averting his open torso, he gave an aloft sigh before he leaned in and looked at my neck.

"Damn…looks like a marked ya."

"O/O" My face lit up and I scrambled over to the mirror to see the red mark forming into a hickey. "This is going to be hard to hide…" mumbling to myself, my first thought went to Kyoya, but then I recalled I broke it all off. There was no need to worry about him any longer, but I didn't want to seem like some loose woman either. This is going to be a hard coverup operation, especially with the ball being so close now.

"If you're worried about what Kim might say I'll speak with her and say it's my fault. I mean it is, but it won't seem as bad if I confront her bout it."

"That—" stopping myself, I faced him and shook my head. "No, that won't be necessary. I can hide it for the time being."  
Hopefully.

His expression changed again to being a little dark and he rubbed his neck. "…won't that boyfriend of yours be askin' you questions?"  
Freezing up a little and averting my gaze from his, there was nothing really for me to feel guilty about, but the fact that it's really over between us was still fresh. I can't be thinking of such lude thoughts when around this man. He's clearly messing with me half the time and doesn't mean what he says at all! I'm just…

"….no," I turned away and felt naked before Grimmjow. He doesn't do much of anything to get me to talk, but somehow I feel exposed to him with everything. These two weeks have been so awkwardly strange that somehow I'm more comfortable with a stranger than with people I've known and go to school with. I'm a mess.

"What, you two got into a fight?" He prodded.

"…I broke it off entirely. His father took things too far with the papers and all the announcements of a marriage that never was fully accepted that I just lost it. I broke off with him, the company, his scheming father...I'm just me right now. Hence why I wanted to come down here and blow off some steam."

"Did you now? I don't know your life, but it seems you really had it rough with him if you're willing to go that far." Scratching his head and moving around, I picked up the equipment we thrashed around and put them away when he came close enough to feel the heat radiating off his chest. "You're a woman with many aspects, and though I don't know you well enough, even I can see that much." he said this without any underline meaning and it made me happy. A genuine compliment was given and I felt no remorse or anger from him saying it. "Let's hit the showers and grab something to eat. I'm starving here."

"Right," laughing at his expression and leading the way to the guest bath, it took a moment for me to head to mine when I touched the hickey on my neck. I could still feel his lips on my neck and the crazy sensation it brought. This feeling of infatuation should bury itself deep inside my soul. Having gone through enough heartache to last me a lifetime, I shut my eyes and kept the emotion buried. I am not going to be a woman that bounces from men to men no matter how they stir me up!

After getting dressed and eating breakfast Kim had left for us thanks to the note I found, a thought came to me that made no logical sense to do and I looked to him and spoke bluntly.  
"I can take you to Karakura Town myself after I graduate." He stopped eating to look at me. "After the last two weeks I figure helping you get home is the least I can do for you. You merely have to wait after the graduation ball is over with and me getting my diploma with Kim to take you back home."

"You'd do that?" Unable to hide a smile, his eyes lit up and the way he moved across the table to see if I was lying to him made my heart jump. "You'll really take me to Karakura town?"

"Y-yes," getting flustered having him so close, he grinned and went back to his meal. "When we get our diplomas, we'll be free birds to do as we like. Just give me time to get work settled while I'm away and I'll prepare the trip. I was going to have it arranged for you to take a bus or something but you seem so unfamiliar with anything that I was worried you'd get lost somehow."

"Having a way home is good enough. Don't know about this bus you speak of, but having you take me is a big help." He thanked me gratefully.  
We ate our meals and I gathered my things to head to the Academy to do a few errands for the ball. With little stuff to do before it though I kind of laughed to myself thinking it was going to be a rather interesting topic to bring up with Kim about a road trip we'll be taking. I mean I already had plans to do something of the like, just not of taking Grimmjow back to his town and getting more involved.

~OoOoO~

It was chaotic going to school and having Kyoya there for the entire day trying to speak with me. But each time he tried I managed to avoid the topic or go and do something else that needed my attention. Kim was nowhere to be seen strangely enough and I had a hard time reaching her on her cell. Though she's more than capable enough to handle herself, she still worries me from time to time. To think the hardest part of the day was really just staying out of Kyoya's sight and dislodging myself from him without worrying the others. Haruhi is too smart and clever to really hide anything from her, so telling her in small detail that Kyoya and I were no longer a thing was a shock to her. Though I thought my news was big, she told me she found out Kim and Kaoru had a falling out thanks to Hikaru telling Haruhi of it. SO now that this was out in the open I figured Kim was cooling off and not wanting anything to do with the twins right now until she could compose herself.  
I finished the majority of the construction idea that was needing attention. Once the paperwork fell through and the setting was done, the outfits Tamaki had planned for us all was the only thing left but he had everything under control while Kim also had her own idea for my dress as well as hers. Knowing nothing more to do at school and noticing the time was already 5pm, it was high time to head home and plan out the road trip Kim and I will be taking with Grimmjow. In retrospect it has been thanks to him that I've been able to be a little more open to myself and what's around me. Hopefully taking him home is enough of a thanks to him for all he's done without him realizing he's done anything for me.


	12. Chapter 11

**Szayel's Lab  
~OoOoO~**

The experiment had been a disaster. Everything was running its course without a hitch until the readings began to show and escalade beyond the parameter. An unfortunate mishap on their part. He squandered through the paperwork meticulously to find the source of what happened but found nothing in the readings that would absolve the mystery. Leaning back into the chair sighing his frustration, Szayel looked to the hell butterfly and tapped on the desk for contact.  
"Mayuri have you found any leads to Grimmjow's whereabouts? I can't trace his reiatsu." Keeping contact without disturbance and hearing Mayuri taking out his frustration on something, Szayel opened the image recorder and started re-watching the footage again to see if he spotted anything unusual.

"Blast it all," Mayuri bantered out. "What went wrong? The gates were stable and well on their way to stabilizing the connection. My readings were not wrong!"

"As were mine…" watching the footage slowly and catching something I missed, I stopped the image and zoomed in on the gate leading from the Soul Society. "Mayuri I might have found the culprit." The image unclear until optimizing the visual and getting a clearer image, a creature had snuck from the precipice world. "I do believe we found a stole-away from the precipice world. Its small and perhaps not powerful enough to cause any form of mischief, but having that added body in the gate itself would override our calculations."

"PAH," Mayuri was displeased, but then again as was I since this took a rather long time to get this experiment underway. "So now that we found the cause, where the hell did that other gate take Grimmjow? The rift was uncanny, like it ate him all in one."

"It is baffling…" pinching the bridge of his nose and leaning in his seat, he caught a shadow lurking in the corner. "Hanako?"

"…uncle Szayel did you find daddy?" Her small frame no longer shrouded and coming out, she rubbed her eyes and slowly crawled onto his lap.

"Well, it's a start to finding him." Tapping on the image and showing her, she scrunched her nose and tried to see it. "That little creature there disturbed the readings we worked out. Now we know what caused it…unfortunately the rift that took your father remains a mystery."

"Oh…" her saddened expression made him uneasy, but he called for one of his underlings to cheer her up. "Uncle Szayel, you'll find him, won't you?" The large minion came over to take her away when he set her down and patted her head gently.

"Of course we will," pushing his glasses up, "we are the greatest scientists around. There is nothing we can't solve."

"Hehe, ok," taking the minion's hand and being led out, he turned to his work once more and analyzed everything from the beginning and measured the unknown readings from scratch.  
Determined to find the unknown gate and its source, to retrieve Grimmjow and return him home, another experiment might have to be done again. In theory though they would have absolute control of the gates location and perhaps being able to open it willingly.

~oOoOo~

Meticulously tracing back every reading, every fiber, every little molecule, Szayel worked with Mayuri tirelessly to reveal the results of finding Grimmjow's location. Every reading possible was a mishap, but after many failures they managed to trace his reiatsu. A thin thread of his being, nothing more than a string to trace back to him, but he was not too far a distance away and capable of being brought back.

"Now that he is found we just need to open the gate and pull him through."

"The mass is the issue Szayel," Mayuri commented. "We have to find someone with the appropriate body mass relatively close to his to send him to the exact location. Any less or more we would be sending someone flying through space without a set destination."

"I understand the issue Mayuri, but who is around his mass? Surely you jest having someone close to him?" His remark making a point in the matter, Mayuri gave some thought to the issue and had an epiphany. "Mayuri?"

"Renji Abarai," his snide smile a little startling, he pulled a file out and circled a few things before facing the makeshift gate we had rebuilt to hold the new experiment. "78kg, just under 80kg of Grimmjow's weight. With this we can add the extra two on our end and stabilize the gate so we know exactly where he will be sent."

"Hmm," seeing the profile and the results it would come out with, he concurred with this finding. "Then shall you retrieve this Abarai and have him assist in getting Grimmjow back?"

"I'll send my assistant now," calling for his lieutenant and watching her come quickly in a flash and receive her orders, she was gone just as quickly and made her way to the Soul Society. "Now then, shall we prepare everything?"

"Let's," pushing his glasses up and taking off, the delightful feeling of another experiment was coursing through his veins and brought the thrill right back to him.


	13. Chapter 12

**Graduation day**

**Kasumi**

The month had flown by so quickly that it was surprising how much work had been done for the graduation ceremony. Finishing the construction for the dome and laying out the special effects for the ball tonight was all coming together quite nicely. Even with things going this smoothly there was the conversation with Kim that happened last week that really bothered her. Kim was cheated on by Kaoru and he couldn't hone up to his mistake and be a man about it. Kim seemed alright after leaving her be for a few days and hearing nothing but training in the dojo on her own, it occurred to me she must have made up her mind on her future.  
Following family tradition in the Matsumoto family, we are to take on a special guard to protect the family line. I knew of Kim and her true purpose coming into my life. Her step father that took her in that was only supposed to be a cover turned sour and the man was ridiculously greedy. But giving Kim her freedom to make her own life choices against her family fell short.  
It's also been surprisingly easy avoiding Kyoya and speaking of what transpired between us. I keep it professional and maintain a business perspective between us without making a scene, but every now and then I will notice him staring and trying to contact me via phone.

"Everything seems to be in order for the ceremony. Now to just check off the list of party favors and that should do it." Just as I was about to take off I saw one of the council members coming my way out of breath. "Everything alright?"

"Kasumi, this is correct here?" She handed me a checklist and a balance sheet. She was a good student, and her duties on the council were not easy, but I guess this would be difficult for someone not used to balancing books.

"Yes, if you look here and divide the earnings and the labor here you will have all the data you need to make the payment arrangements. Be sure to sign each page and distribute the workload evenly and all should be sufficient."

"Thank you." She bit her lower lip and took a small breath in. "Um…I heard a rumor about you and Kyoya…have you two really—"

"Yes." She stopped and looked ashamed for asking. "It's bound to happen with the rumors…don't let the little things get to you. All is well and this separation was for the best."

"But…" she shook her head and dropped the subject without reason. "Is anyone going to escort you to the ball?" An innocent question from a girl to another, but I didn't know how to respond to it. "Um…was that alright to ask?"

"It's quite alright…if anything I will just come and be on my own and enjoy the festivities." She felt bad for asking and carried on with her work and walked away. I looked around the room and found Haruhi speaking with Tamaki as usual and getting closer day by day. She's grown in such a short time that it's inspiring. And I was proud to call her a friend and watching her grow to become a fine lawyer like her mother.

"Kasumi," part of the construction crew we had hired called and flagged me down.

"On my way," getting rid of my senseless thoughts and putting on the hard hat, I ran over and continued the finishing touches of the ball so we could say goodbye to our high school life.

~**OoOoO~  
****Kim**

"The decorum has to be aligned just right or everything will fall out of place! Why is this so difficult to understand?" Holding the map where everything needs to be and having trouble with the boys coordinating, I sighed and told them to go on break. "This is exhausting…" my ears trapped underneath the hard hat and feeling stuffy, I wanted to unravel my hair and let them free so badly. "How does Kasumi control a company? She has thousands at her command, and I can barely control five of them!" Tossing the plans aside and just done with it all, I glanced around and found Kaoru with his new girlfriend, Anne.  
"…they look happy…" sour tasting after I said it, I turned away and really wanted to let loose. Checking the time and having some to spare I quickly made my way to the garden where the maze was and headed straight in to find the small gazebo in the center. The best location out of sight from everyone. My own personal getaway area.  
Letting my hair down and unfurling my ears and feeling invigorated to let them stretch and bask in the sun's rays, it was a perfect spot for a quick cat-nap too.  
"I should be fine for 30minutes or so…" sitting under the gazebo and getting comfortable, the smell of roses calming and not a soul around was refreshing. No Kaoru to look at, no Tamaki getting on my nerves, just a peaceful spot before the big ball tonight and having everything fall into place before taking Grimmjow back home. "This should be a great day…so why do I feel so out of it?" Plucking a rose out of the hedge and pulling petals, I just stared blankly and let my thoughts wonder aimlessly.  
_  
I wonder if Kaoru has any regrets? No matter how often I think about it I can't help but wonder. Though its been helpful with Grimmjow at the house lately. He's learned a few things that honestly impressed me that he never knew how to do much of anything in the first place. Driving being one of them. I totally took him for a wild driver. Though he's been saying some strange stuff how he's lived his life, I can't tell if he's a loon missing meds or he honestly lived the way he described. That, and he's a father. Who would have thought that?  
_"So not father material…" laughing out loud as I lounged on the bench and stared at the ceiling. "And I have yet to draw him…what scenery should I have him pose for? I could make him do something outrageous…but then again maybe something a little more feudal era…so many choices."  
_Come to think of it he's sure been handy around the house lately. If asked to do maintenance he just asks' how to do it and just does it without question. Even tore up part of the yard and helped me move my statues.  
_"How the hell is he so strong anyhow?" Sitting up. "I'm pretty damn strong and so is Kasumi…yet he easily lifted one of my marble statues as though it was made of cotton candy." Feeling my ears twitch and sensing something wrong in the air, I got up and tried sensing what it was before—  
*Loud crash*

"What was that?!" The smell of something slightly burnt permeated the air and I quickly rounded several corners to find the source in case it was the roses on fire. When I got to a point where the smell was most pungent, I was not expecting to find a man upside down laying on the hedges groaning in pain. A small slither of smoke coming off him as though he was the one set on fire.

"Ow…" hearing the man groan and tried moving, he was unable to move much.

"Uh…you ok?" Cautious about the guy and grabbing a stick to poke his shoulder, he groaned painfully and winced when opening his eyes.

"You—a stick?" Mumbling something else but getting himself upright, his hair disheveled and caught on the thorns, he yelped when he tried pulling his hair out. "Dammit…those bastards are gonna pay for this. Sending me flying through who knows where and in—"

"Need…need help?" He turned to me and didn't say anything at first, but he looked at himself and the predicament he's in and nodded.  
I started at the worst of the tangle and slowly worked through the mass of thorns and hair. A steady process, but all-around soothing as I have come to realize I am touching another person's hair other than my own or Kasumi's. I was still wary of the man out of nowhere bit, so placing several precautions up in my head and following through calmly was the best course of action.  
"May I ask how you got here?"  
Being cautious and gathering as much intel for myself to see if a threat or not, he seemed innocent enough. But I've been fooled before.

"…well, don't know where to start, but I was kind of dropped off here. Sorry for the mess," managing to turn himself around and get off the hedge, he popped his back and neck and stared at his ruined clothes. "Well this is just grand…" clothes completely shredded, I looked at the clothing and was curious what kind of material was used and who the designer was. There was nothing of the like here in town and I don't know anyone with such strange taste in clothes to make it either. "Hey, thanks for the help—" he stopped so suddenly I didn't understand until I realized two things.  
My ears were uncovered.  
His shirt literally just fell apart the moment he moved and now he's bare-chested.

"O/O" embarrassed and running away to hide my face and ears both, I heard him calling for me but dared not stop. I made it back to the gazebo and got the hat on before hearing him again and knowing he got lost in the maze.

"So quick…" he let out. "Where did you go?"

"I don't know who you are, but this is private property and I suggest you leave before someone calls the authorities." Hiding myself and feeling so stupid for forgetting my hat of all things, I kept to the shadows and tried distancing myself away without notice.

"Really," he seemed to be following my voice and I quietly headed to the hedge that led out of the maze. "And why haven't you then?"

"…none of your concern," holding my voice steady and making sure no twigs crunched beneath my foot, I think I heard him getting closer. My heart was racing too hard to tell where he was exactly.

"I need help looking for someone. Do you know anyone named Grimmjow?"

I stopped and turned around and didn't know how to respond. Is this guy friends with Grimmjow? If so then how did he end up here? From the way Kasumi described her encounter there was a light, but I didn't see anything of the like. All he did was crash into our hedge and the smell of something burning filled the air.

"I take the silence as an answer." His voice close by and looking around, a shadow from above caught me off-guard and I gasped when seeing him standing on air! "I'm not going to hurt you; I just need to bring him back home."

"How the hell are you doing that!" I felt my body go rigid and wanting to run when he dropped down with ease and walked slowly towards me.

"It's alright…I'm not going to hurt you." Hands up like taming an animal, I felt the hair on my neck stand and not know how to respond to it. "Please…will you answer my question?"

"Just…" I fell on my butt and was startled I was so shaken up. This was a stranger that came out of nowhere and now I find him to have some creepy powers allowing him to walk on air?! Nothing has trained me in preparation for this!

"Ok…" he sat down and was level with me until I could calm down and I really didn't know what to do. "I won't come any closer…just hear me out."  
I scooted back to the hedge and took comfort in the foliage and thorns while he started telling me his tales. I was unsure of anything at first hearing it, but the more he spoke and how he came to be here and where he's from I started to calm down. Everything he spoke of was identical to Grimmjow and where he's from and how he got here. Two different people telling the same thing would be highly unlikely told as a lie.

"So…this Karakura Town is just a place you can get to…but it's not really your home? You say you're a spirit that guides other spirits to a place called the Soul Society?"

"Yeah…" scratching his head and finding his face contorting with curiosity, he seem baffled by something.

"And none of this is made up…"

"Nope."

"…the whole floating on air is completely normal." Pointing up at the sky.

"Very much so."

"…." My head hurting and trying to place it all together I just stared at him and kept trying to make sense of it all. "You and Grimmjow are from the same place but not really _from_ the same place and you are getting him back home because some experiment had gone haywire and these scientists sent you because you weight the same?"

"That about covers it, yeah." He was smiling and leaning in his hand when staring at me, but not once did he ask about my ears. Feeling self-conscience about it and reaching for my hat, he perked up and pointed to his head in question. "Is that a fashion statement here or are those real?"

"…" I looked away for a moment and he seemed patient enough to wait for my reply. "Their real…"

"Huh…didn't think I'd see a human with cat ears apart from the soul society and Hueco Mundo."

"Wait, there's others like me?"

"Kind of. Grimmjow actually is a feline when he goes into his second form during a fight."

"What?!" A hundred questions emerged but he wasn't going to answer any further questions as he raised a hand to cut me off.

"Enough about that, can you help me?"  
He rudely cut me off but then I figured we covered all the basis that he was no threat to me. The problem was his torn clothing. He can't go around the school in threads, it would give the girls here a heart attack they can't handle. I already can't handle it, but that's beside the point.

"Stay here until I can bring you some clothes. You can't walk around the school this way."

"School?" He just realized where he was and looked around. "Pretty fancy for a school, don't you think?"

"Well this is a high-class academy for the wealthiest of families. Can't find any other school this prestigious for miles around."

"That right," he stood up and stretched a bit and managed to tie his hair in a manbun before helping me off the ground. "I guess I'll wait here then until you return…um…sorry, I don't have a name to call you by."

"Oh," dusting my uniform off and straightening myself up, I smiled as I spoke. "I'm Kim."

"Renji Abarai," shaking his hand and feeling how rough his hands are from whatever job he described, I nodded and proceeded to get him some clothes.

"I'll be back, don't let anyone else see you!"

~OoOoO~

I scoured the drama club for clothes that could fit Renji, but being high school students, we were not nearly as tall as he is. Frustrated and trying my best to stay out of sight from the Host Club, it came to be that I had to make something for him. Even if just a quick tailoring on the fly it would have to do.  
"Where will I find clothes no one will mind losing though?"

"Kim," hearing Kasumi and squeaking in surprise, she raised her brow and walked over to me. "Are you up to something?"

"N-no," terrible liar. "I thought you were Kaoru…"

"Oh," she flinched and stepped back when hearing of our breakup and she felt bad for me. "Are you needing something here at the drama club though? We have all the clothes set up for the ball in the Host club."

"Well…these clothes are not going to be for the club…or anyone in it…it'll be for one of Grimmjow's companions." Not thinking how this will sound or turn out, she was puzzled and cocked her head to the side. "Ok, so here's how it went…"  
*Explaining everything to a confused Kasumi*  
"So…yeah…" she looked baffled at first, questioned a few things second, but calmly nodded and started to help me. "Kasumi, if this guy is trying to take Grimmjow back home then we don't—"

"I know…but I guess we'll know more when the two meet up." Her voice seemed sad when she turned away from me. I know the two had gotten closer thanks to sparring and among other activities lately, but I wasn't expecting her to show such a sad look on her face. "I can give Grimmjow a call and ask him myself if he really knows this Renji guy and have him come over here. Clothes though, there is one I think might fit the guy from what you told me." She led me down the corridor and passed by many fangirls waving at her until reaching the abandoned music room 3. I didn't really want to go in there quite yet, but she swung the doors open and waltzed in like normal straight to Tamaki's wardrobe.

"_Are you seriously suggesting we take Tamaki's costumes_?" I whispered.

"He's taller than normal boys here and has a slim figure, but if you tailor some of the more loose-fitting outfits he owns I figure it'll be easier to work with. I'll help with whatever you need to do." Nonchalant as though this new arrival never even fazed her, she was a working businesswoman right now without showing anything on her face to what she was up to.

"Kasumi you're the best." Hugging her from behind and feeling her hand pat me, she scrolled through the long line of clothes in search of something decent and pulled a few choices out. Getting creative and making something up and tailoring on the go, we got something we could work with and Kasumi got Grimmjow on the phone to ask him about Renji.

After maybe a few minutes discussing with him, she finally came close enough for me to hear the rest of the conversation. "You remember how to get here right?" She waited and got his response and nodded. "Alright then, see you here shortly around the building where you'll see the rose maze." She hung up the phone and faced me with a smile. "Looks like we'll be having another house guest joining us for dinner."

"I figured as much," we both laughed and ventured back out to the halls and made our escape outside to find Renji. And just like I had asked he was still waiting at the gazebo. "I'm back." He turned and saw Kasumi and put his guard up. He reached for something but quickly withdrew his hand from his hip and just posed for hand to hand combat.

"Relax hot-shot, Grimmjow will be coming to get you shortly." Not expecting to hear such crass words from her, I watched Renji take on her words and laugh.

"That's what Grimmjow calls me, so you really do know him." His laugh was contagious to me. I slipped a giggle out and held back when I noticed he heard me. "Those the clothes you want me to wear?"

"Y-yeah," handing it to him and watching his face contort with confusion, Kasumi stepped in and explained.

"We're a bunch of high schoolers here, we don't have the body-build clothes order to accommodate you here. Kim and I stitched something together so you don't put the girls here into a frenzy."

"A frenzy?"

"Yeah, ravenous teenage girls loom here and they will eat you in a matter of seconds if given the chance." She quickly glanced him up and down and rolled her eyes. "And judging by the way your in tatters they would surely eat you without mercy."

"That's a little terrifying…" he started stripping off the small amounts of clothing he had on and we both turned away with red faces.

"_Did he really just strip in front of us?!_" Kasumi whispered frantically.

"_He really did! No decency!_" I whispered back just as frantic.

"How long till Grimmjow arrives?" He asked. Taking a chance and peeking to see if clothed, he was done, I nudged Kasumi.

"Look, Grimmjow will get here. But there is something that Grimmjow wanted for me to tell you." He waited, as did I. "Your senkaimon won't work here and soon neither will your reiatsu."

"What?" Confused as I am hearing this as well, she shrugged her shoulders and left it at that.

"That's all he told me. He'll fill you in when he comes to get you. You can follow us to the spot he'll get you at and we'll head back inside to finish our graduation project."

"Wait you're leaving me like this?"

"Yeah," flat out telling him, he had no words and just blinked blankly. "Kim, head back and finish your side of the project and I'll be right there to wrap it all up. I need to confirm something with Grimmjow when he gets here."

"Ok…" she was acting like a business woman dealing with her company when she spoke, but when she took out her phone and smiled slightly to whoever it was I couldn't tell what she was thinking.  
But doing like she asked and heading back inside, I happened to run into Kyoya of all people and he stopped me in the corridor overlooking the courtyard.

"Kim, a word?" Not really wanting to speak with the guy that broke Kasumi, but since it has come to this I really couldn't pull away. Part of this mess is kind of my responsibility. "Is Kasumi doing alright? She won't speak with me properly…I'm worried about her."

I about scoffed! "Worried? You put her through that mess yourself! How can you be worried about her if you were the one to cause all the worrying?"

"I know what I did was indecent of me and I apologize for all of it. If she would just speak with me I could properly apologize to her…" his voice shaken a little, I had no room left in my heart to play the friend game with him. "Please…I never meant for any of this to happen the way it did."

Bitter, I shook my head while shutting my eyes and saw all the images of Kasumi on the brink of despair because of his father and his cowardice. Now he wants forgiveness. I never knew he could be so shrewd.  
"You know, you and Kaoru both are nearly the same. At first I was so gung-ho about you two getting together because you were so invested into her. If I had known you would cause her such grief I would have kept you two apart with all that I have. I was just so grateful you were nothing like Zen, but clearly I never saw the politician in you to begin with and only thought of opening Kasumi's heart to be happy. I failed seeing that as her closest aid."

"Kim?"

"No Kyoya, I think it's good that she ignores you and separates herself from the Ootori family. Besides, she doesn't need you around in her life any longer, she is quite happy with what she has now and who she's around now." Maybe slipping that in was too much because his face contorted angrily, and he gripped his black book with brute strength I didn't know he possessed.

"What did you mean by those words?" His words were dark when he spoke. Seething anger and his eyes glared at me. "Is she with someone else?" He stepped forward and loomed over me, I was not prepared for such a threat it caught me off-guard. "Who is it? Tell me, Kim!" His hand reached for me but stopped when I noticed him staring out the window.

I looked out the same window and saw Grimmjow getting out of Kasumi's car. Kyoya fumed knowing it was her car he got out of and he stormed angrily away before I could react and I watched the interaction between her and Grimmjow with her smiling and felt Kyoya's anger seething from that view alone. I ran after him, knowing that something was about to happen and I should try and stop it the best I can.


	14. Chapter 13

**Kasumi**

"So to get all this cleared up, you, Renji, were sent here to retrieve Grimmjow through a _gate_ by tracking his _reiatsu_ or whatever and immediately bring him back. What Grimmjow is saying is that he hasn't gone back all this time because his _powers_ have all but diminished and he's changed since being here. Did I get the gist of it all?"  
Both Renji and Grimmjow nodded while leaning against the car. Wrapping my head around their strange conversation and seeing Renji's reaction to seeing Grimmjow was peculiar. Kept on asking about a hole and mask that made absolutely no sense to me.

"I'll fill him in on more details and the offer you gave of getting me to Karakura. Do I come back to pick you two up?" Grimmjow's new hobby since learning how to drive was literally finding any and all excuses to take the Ferrari out for a spin.

"That's fine. We'll be done with everything around—"

"Grimmjow are you serious? We need to get you back home immediately. Stop wasting your time here playing human and lets get going."  
Renji's little outburst irked me to feel my brow twitch and I stepped forward and noticed Grimmjow's eyes watching me to my approach.

"Look here buddy, I don't give a rats ass that you have places to be and needing to take Grimmjow the moment you arrive, but you only have one option. _You_ appeared from thin air and Kim was the one to have luckily found you. Without that happening you wouldn't even know where to begin your damn search for him to even get to Karakura town. Kim and I are literally offering a roof over your head and transport out of the goodness of—"

"Kasumi!"  
I stopped immediately and turned to find Kyoya marching angrily over this way. Seeing Kim was not far behind she seemed worried about what Kyoya was going to do and I ignored Renji's whispering to face him.  
"Who is this and why is someone of his caliber driving _your_ car?" He spat.

"Kyoya this doesn't have anything to do with you, please return to the club room."

"Nothing to—so the moment you discard me you run to the arms of some hoodlum person with no class?" His glare directed towards Grimmjow I'm assuming it made me ball my fist up and lose my self control over my emotions with him.

"You need to stop talking and think of what your saying. I'm perfectly capable of deciding who I associate with and who is allowed to drive my cars."

"That's beside the issue here! You're with someone below your stature!"

"Enough!" Trying to remain calm, feeling my nails bite into my palm, this was getting ugly. "You of all people should know how capable I am and yet you are still acting as though we are together. I called it off. What I do with my time and who I share it with has nothing to do with you any longer."  
Kyoya approached with haste and before I could react to him reaching out for my arm I was being pulled back and embraced by Grimmjow?

"Release her at once!" Kyoya snapped.

"Oh~" Grimmjow's tone shifted to that of a predator and he loomed over Kyoya while still holding onto me. "And what are ya gonna do about it, kid. Seems to me you need to be taught a lesson on social status."  
Speaking as though he is fully aware of the hierarchy and experienced in it, Kyoya went to reach for me again before Grimmjow's free hand grabbed his arm and pushed him back.  
"To actually lay a hand on any woman without consent would be an immediate lashing. But since you are just a kid I guess doing that will be considered immoral. So let's do this then." He gently pulled me aside and had me stand by my car while giving a quick wink when returning to Kyoya. "I'll give ya a chance to have at me. If you can bear a single punch without wincing I'll let ya come close to Kasumi and you can talk _peacefully_ while in my presence. Wince even a little and you need to back the fuck off." His tone a low threat, Kyoya was surprised by his vulgar ways but I found it to be slightly endearing. Grimmjow's a gruff looking guy to begin with and not classy enough to try and be proper. His ways are outlandish, crude, brunt and more often than not get me worked up, but despite all of those things this to me was quite attractive of him.

"I am not about to use violence against someone as grotesque as you. Kasumi, step away from this and we can talk things over." He was losing his cool and I was surprised to see him so agitated. The seemingly cool and collected Kyoya was actually frazzled and losing his temper.

"I refuse." Crossing my arms and watching Kim walk around the two to get to me she was relieved that nothing happened. "Shall we head to the club room and finish things off before the ceremony?"

"I think we've done plenty here. I'll send a group text to the council and have them clean up whatever we had left."

"Alright then."  
Kim opened the car door for me to get in while hearing Kyoya still rant off angrily. I ignored all that he was yelling and also saw Renji getting into the car with such a lost expression.  
"You seem surprised…"

"…Grimmjow is standing up for you?" He was looking at me with such confusion that his eyes kept trying to process the reason. "I've only ever seen that guy do something of this for Hanako and Lady Mizu."

"…Hanako? Lady Mizu?" He didn't answer me who they were and turned away once Kim got into the driver's seat and started the car.

"Looks like Kyoya isn't standing down anytime soon. I'm really sorry Kasumi…I mentioned something to him that made him have the wrong impression."

"He's a misguided fool at the moment. I'm just sorry to myself that I never noticed such a trait with him sooner."

"As am I."  
We waited for maybe 10 minutes before Kyoya gave up arguing and stormed off. Grimmjow got close to the car and noticed Kim in the driers seat and opened the door.

"I drive."

"…ok then…" Kim held back her laugh as she was scooted to the back seat with Renji while Grimmjow got ready to drive us home.

"When's this ball thing of yours?" Grimmjow asked.

"Later tonight around 8. The ceremony for our diplomas start at 6."

"Alright then…"  
The trip home was strangely calm and collected as we all spoke with Renji and getting things straight with him that we'll be heading to Karakura town in a few days time. He was quite reluctant to wait that long, but after discussing a few deals and agreeing to certain terms with him he was compliant nonetheless in the plan.


	15. Chapter 14

~OoOoO~

"Grimmjow, a word." Renji waited until the two human girls were out of earshot before speaking once more with him. "I'm rather confused on what's happening here right now, but my question lies with you. Where is your Hollow mask? Why can't I sense your reiatsu at all though I'm this close to you?"

"Like I said before, my powers and your soon just fade and no longer work. I haven't been able to open a garganta up since coming here and this town has no reishi to feed off from."

"But your form is that of a living human…" his concern valid, Grimmjow rubbed his naked chin and was just as confused as he was. "It's like you've turned mortal here Grimmjow…you even look more human than your guise back in the day."

"Yeah…and though I'm immortal with age and whatnot, my looks here are far younger than normal. I don't know what that gate was that swallowed me up, but it took my Espada self and just stripped me clean."

"Any other changes? Memories affected in any way?"

"As far as I know I'm still me. I don't feel all that different other than my appearance looking more human." He looked distant for a moment before speaking. "How's Hanako? IS she doin' alright?"

"…Hanako is worried about you every day you're not found. Though the threats we've received from Ulquiorra and Starrk are quiet off-putting, they have been taking good care of her."

"I see." A simple smile knowing his daughter was in good hands, he looked outside and stared at the sky for a moment. "Coming here has really got me thinkin…and I think having my mask stripped off me has also changed me."

"Can you go into further detail of that?"

"Don't know how to explain it to ya…but those two girls here really helped me out. I played the distant card first few days since my plan was to get back home immediately."

"What stopped you from doing that?"

"The one that started yelling at you." He mused.

"Kasumi, was it? I wasn't expecting such an outburst from her…she seems so mild mannered."

"She's tough, including Kim. And just so your aware do not enter that kitchen without permission from her." He warned.

"Why?"

"Kim's scary as shit…trust me." Not giving him further details to what had transpired between him and Kim, Renji agreed to not enter the kitchen. "There's also something crazy familiar with Kasumi as well. Her last name is Matsumoto like the red head back in Soul Society…I also saw a picture that looked like her but slightly different."

"A relative of Rangiku's?"

"Perhaps…quite distant considering she looks nothing like her except for the attitude and battle aptitude."

"She fights?" Not believing this as Grimmjow grinned to show him to the dojo, Renji was in awe of the expanse space of their home. "This is quite large for just those two…are any of her relatives living here as well?"

"…I asked about her parents," he seemed pained recalling it. "They died in a fire apparently. She runs her parents company though she's so young."

"That's quite impressive. Compared to Rangiku who slacks off on her work I can't imagine the two being related." Renji joked.

"Right?"  
The two walked around the dojo for a bit fiddling with the equipment before Renji picked up the bokkun.

"Grimmjow, earlier you showed quite a bit of emotion towards Kasumi I never witnessed before. You've been away for a month… but it seems you've adapted to being human with them."

"Renji?" Seeing Renji swinging the bokkun but not understanding his words, he cautiously watched him.

"I'm sure if you asked I could just return alone…I could tell the scientists that they were wrong with their readings, I never found you."

"The hell you goin on about?"

"Grimmjow I saw it. Your looking at that Kasumi girl with great interest. If you want to live out like a human then—"

"Don't be daft! I have Hanako to think about and there's no way in hell I'm abandoning my daughter!"

"…are you capable of saying goodbye to them then? They've done you a great favor caring for you and seeing you get home on their own volition. And considering how comfortable you are even driving a car of theirs it seems you _like_ being mortal."  
Renji was right over a few matters that Grimmjow didn't want to admit. But as he said, Hanako was waiting for his return and worried. There was also the matter with his own personal feelings back home he'd have to face, but Renji's words cut him deep.

"You really know how to hit a guy when he's down, don't ya?" Leaving Renji alone in the dojo as he went up, Kim was pacing the dining hall without noticing him and he pressed against the wall to see what she was up to.

"So you have the outfit finished then? That's wonderful, I'm at home now if you can have it dropped off now." Speaking on the phone, she was rather pleased about something as she hung up and quietly cheered over it. "Now to convince him to wear it is the challenge…" she was in deep thought when I slipped a little and she heard me. "Grimmjow?"

"Uh, yeah," coming out of hiding as she looked at me, her ears were free and perked up all the way. "I have a huge favor to ask of you."

"…favor?" Unsure what to think of her _favors_, he stayed a few steps back just in case she launched at him. "Look I already agreed to the whole painting thing, which I'm still waiting when that is…but what do you want?"

"You saw what transpired with Kyoya. Kasumi needs to have an escort to the dance after the ceremony and she is not walking with any members of the host club."

"Are you?"

"Nope. If you agree you can escort us both so we don't have to deal with the awkwardness of not having an escort."

"…I can ask Renji if you just need something to walk with you. He's experienced enough to do this much." Her ears fell flat and she didn't respond to that notion. "He's a good guy once you get past his cocky attitude. Besides, consider this a bodyguard service."

"I don't have an outfit planned for anyone to be my personal escort."

"You don't have something in that giant ass closet of yours that could possibly match your style?" Egging her on as she perked back up with a small crook of a smile on her lips, she enjoyed the compliment of her skill.

"If you convince him then have him come up and I can put something together." Her attitude fitting for someone so focused on her work, he's been impressed with her since they've been acquainted. More so over the time he accidentally messed up the kitchen and she nearly killed him.

"I'll go talk to him then." Reluctant to head back down but already striking the iron when hot, he left Kim to her wiles and he to his.


	16. Chapter 15

~OoOoO~  
**Kasumi**

The arrangements with the press was falling into place as I confirmed everything in my email. Taking a deep breath and knowing it was either going to be hell on earth or enlightening, the image of Kyoya bursting with such animosity was really shocking. No matter what had transpired I've never witnessed him losing his cool that way.  
"He really did lose it…"  
Trying not to think on it and focus on the other matter at hand, her dress Kim made was far too extravagant she had no idea how to even wear it.  
"She really went all out…but it's absolutely beautiful I'm stunned." Admiring the black velvet-silk dress that was intricately layered to move like the ocean currents to reveal a galaxy red theme in the tresses was indeed her best work yet. The question remained who she would dance with at the ball since she was now single.  
"I could just dance with other students, or even Kim for that matter, but the host members have to dance with the opposite sex to showcase themselves." Exasperated about it and not wanting to think further on the subject, she'd just go with the flow no matter the turn-out.

"Kasumi," Kim startled her as she nearly fell out of her seat. "Sorry, but I got some good news to tell you." Excitedly coming in she grabbed my hand and smiled so wide I thought it would stretch her skin. "I convinced Grimmjow to escort you to the ball."

"…huh?!" Shocked and nearly toppling out of my seat, she laughed at me! "Kim what on earth are you plotting having Grimmjow come to our ball?"

"Think about it from this perspective. Kyoya really showed some ugly colors today and I won't be able to fight in a dress if things truly get ugly. Grimmjow on the other hand has placed a dominant foot down and showed that Kyoya can't get away with his little temper tantrum over your breakup. Also think of the publicity you're also doing with the media coming. You need an escort slash bodyguard so nothing happens to you."

"You make it sound like something terrible will happen."

"Do you blame me thinking that? Kasumi you and I have been in more shit than most people our age. After Zen's antics and seeing Kyoya's father is really no better I'm not chancing it. I've already let down my guard enough times to be considered a failure."

"Kim…"

"No. My purpose was always to be your guardian…a guard to fend off anything that comes your way and we've really diverted from that." She knelt down and took both my hands in hers lovingly. "You are my family Kasumi…giving me freedom to live my own life even when things never went according to plan. We've been together since we were five years old…it's time I hone up to my original purpose and why I was modified in the first place."

"That's in the past Kim. I don't want to continue my family's horrid practice…"

"And you won't. We've destroyed the lab and set my relatives free to live peacefully away from all this. That so-called _stepfather_ we hired was terrible. But we learned and grew from our own mistakes."

"…so you're really stepping into the role then?" Asking tentatively as this was something she'd have to live with, Kim smiled and softly kissed my fingertips.

"I, Kim Black, from the Black family dedicated to servitude of the Matsumoto lineage, I take my place as your aid till death do us part."

"I, Kasumi Matsumoto, last remaining member of my lineage, hereby accept this contract of servitude." I got up and opened up my desk to pull out the 'collar' that will seal the contract between us. Looking at her and really thinking about it carefully, she smiled and pulled her hair up waiting for me. "Kim, if anything changes and you wish to live your own life with your own decisions, then do so."

"If the time comes when that happens I'll remember those words."  
I gingerly wrapped the black choker around her neck and sealed our contract. The fabric is of a special material that is organic. It began to meld onto her skin and created a unique design that looks like a faded tattoo with both our names and crest of my family etched in. Nothing would change between us of course, but Kim would begin to act accordingly and be free to be more hostile towards anyone wishing me harm now.

"Can you help me get ready in this intricate dress of yours? I have no idea where to begin." Changing the mood and seeing how bright her complexion got, she happily assisted as we spoke of the ball and simple matters to ease our minds.


	17. Chapter 16

**Lights, Camera & Action**

"Renji you don't look too shabby in that suit." Grimmjow commented with a mischievous grin that Renji scowled when he tried understanding how he got roped into this.

"This is ridiculous, I don't see why I have to participate."

"Just comply and have a little fun. You do know how to do that, dontcha?" Mocking him as Renji spat that he of course knew how to have fun, the two tussled gently not to rip their suits before Kim cleared her throat from atop the staircase.

"Gentlemen," she was dressed in a stunning deep blue dress that shocked them both into silence. She walked slowly down the staircase with one hand on the railing and her dress shimmered a bioluminescent color that entranced them both.

"Whoa…" Renji gaped. "How are you making the dress do that?" He walked towards her without realizing and Kim seemed amused by his reaction.

"I'm a genius when it comes to clothing. Hence your suit," pointing that out and seeing his expression she couldn't help but laugh. "And might I add that you don't look too bad yourself in my creation." Her words not meaning anything too deep, it was a surprise to see Renji blush to such words as she fixed his tie. "Be a proper escort and lets have some fun tonight."

"I—" he stuttered and covered his mouth not to say something ridiculous when Kim approached Grimmjow.

"What's that look for?" She asked him.

"…we didn't go to the ceremony for your diplomas. I'm just wondering what changed."

"Oh that; Kasumi called the principal and asked that he just mail it us. We were too caught up with something else to really attend the whole thing for it."

"Well its your graduation thing, so do whatever you want."

"We will." Her make-up accentuating her eyes as she delicately made it look she was from the sea, Grimmjow was entranced by the way women could transform themselves. "She's coming." Excited as she looked up to the staircase, Grimmjow followed suit and was stupefied.

Grimmjow stared intently at her for what seemed like eternity as though time itself stopped for him. His now beating human heart thumping loudly in his chest ached as he felt a turmoil of emotions erupting from himself. She paced herself walking down the steps. Kicking the dress in small flutters that revealed the crimson red swirls, he was entranced. Her hair was done up similar to Kim's with waves and decorative pieces fitted in her hair, but somehow he seemed more enamored by hers.

"I must say you two are truly a surprise." Renji broke his stupor as he admired them both. "If you two introduced yourselves are mere high schoolers I never would have believed you."

"We're not children though," Kasumi stated. "I'm already 18 and so is Kim. We've been in the adult world long enough to not be considered _young_ in most eyes."

"Is that right." Renji's impression of them both may have been increased, but he said nothing more as he looked to Grimmjow. "So we're heading to that school again?"

"Yes. The limo should already be up front."

"I'm not driving?" Grimmjow asked and both Kim and Kasumi laughed.

"For this type of event and how grand it is, no. We'll be riding a limo and arriving in style." She approached Grimmjow and the two just stared at one another for a moment. "The suit looks good on you…and your hair is slicked back…" her cheeks flushed slightly as she complimented him, he felt a twitch in his hand to touch her but refused to do so.

"Renji's idea…says I look like a thug."

"Hehe, that's true." She smiled with enhanced charm that it caught him by surprise. "Thank you Renji for cleaning him up and also partaking in the escort business."

"Yeah well…thanks for taking care of him and offering to take us home."

"You're welcome."  
They each headed out to the awaiting limo and rode in silence. Kim seemed calm and focused on something as she stared down at her phone. Kasumi looked distant as she stared out the window of the passing scenery. The school came up into view and they waited till the car stopped and the door open when Grimmjow and Renji stepped out first to take their hands and begin their escorting.

~OoOoO~  
**Kim**

The extravagance that the ball held was no small feat. The chandeliers that were ordered and placed were laced with sparkling diamonds that only should be seen in movies of great importance. The décor was nothing short to excellence either. With beautifully carved marble statues properly adorned in the ballroom and rich satin drapes overlaying the large windows, everything in and out the venue was perfectly suitable to the rich and wealthy lifestyle. The sparkling floors being buffed and shined made every footstep tap lightly like tiny bells clicking against one another. Checking the details of how the theme really suited the atmosphere it was simply wonderful having it come all together.  
As I walked inside with Renji and noticed that only the host club members arrived before the other students were allowed in for the great reveal, it was a little awkward holding onto a strangers arm and being guided in.

"You alright?" He asked.

"Oh, yeah…" unsure how to act around him seeing as I kind of forced him to wear a suit and had his hair done a certain way, he didn't seem to mind now that he was here, but it still bothered me a little. "You sure your alright being here? I mean you are here and all but—"

"It's fine. After calming down a bit and thinking clearly, this is a simple request considering all you've done for Grimmjow."

"Right…um, would you mind leading me to the punch bowl?" My heels slightly taller than I like them to be, I did have other shoes in the clubroom just as a back up pair in case I can't handle the heels.

"Are those the members of your club you mentioned?" He pointed out the others and they were checking things before getting ready to open the doors.

"Yeah. Looks like Kasumi and Grimmjow will come in after she organizes the timing of the press."

"…press?" He questioned.

"It's a rather long story, but she is announcing something to correct a wrong that Kyoya's father done."

"The kid from earlier?"

"Yes. Political things that I would rather not get myself involved in." By the punch bowl and getting a drink, Renji seemed enthused of the scenery here. "You like the theme?"

"I'm admiring the work done here, yes. This is nothing like what I've experienced back home."

"Well try to enjoy some festivities. Anything can happen tonight."

"Is that—"

"Kim," Tamaki came waltzing over with his dazzling self and showcasing his finery of choice. "What do you think? Am I not the perfect being standing before you?"

"Yes, yes, very flattering. I notice that you and Haruhi are wearing something similar. And that she's in a dress…" admiring Haruhi across the floor as she shyly waved. "So we're really revealing her gender tonight huh."

"Well…yes…? He was actually shy about it and looked abashed. "It was her decision and I wished to encourage it."

"Well I'm glad. You two look good together. And as such it would be unwise to leave her alone during this time as we're getting ready to open the doors."

"R-right! I also wanted to say thank you for your hard work Kim. This ball and creativity is thanks to your inspiration."

"This will be a grand night to remember."  
Leaving on good terms as he snapped his fingers for the boys to ready themselves, I noticed Kaoru looking at me in a daze with Anne on his arm. Not feeling as hurt and having accepted what happened, I nodded in their direction and took Renji's arm without thinking.

"Kim?"

"S-sorry…can I lean on you for a moment?"

"Sure…" he followed the cue from Tamaki and walked me over to the top of the staircase to stand on top and I heard the back door entrance open to Grimmjow leading Kasumi inside.

"Well there they are, must have finally finished. Just in time too, we're ready to open the doors."  
Kasumi and Grimmjow quickened their pace to get into position and I felt a deep atmosphere of hate come off from Kyoya's direction. He was fuming so openly I was surprised he'd show such animosity in front of the others.

"_Renji, will you help me keep an eye on Kyoya? I don't like the way he's looking at Kasumi._" I whispered as Tamaki was announcing the ball to be open.

"_I'll assist in any way I can._"  
The doors were opened and hundreds of students came into the ballroom with awe and gleaming expressions to the décor. Tamaki stepped forward with Haruhi in hand and bowed to the audience as he began his announcement.

"Welcome to the Rose Maiden Ball. May all your dreams and fervent wishes be as bright as these stars to your future."  
All of us stepped forward, taking our bow as we all took a breath in unison.

"**_Enjoy yourselves to the fullest, my lovely audience._**"  
A practiced sentence that was perfectly executed. Everyone in the crowd began to chatter and fill the room with noise as the band hidden in the nook of the wall behind a dark curtain was unveiled to begin playing music.

"That was different…" Renji was surprised since he didn't know what just happened and I couldn't help but laugh at his expression.

"I should have at least warned you, I'm sorry." Unable to stop laughing and having him escort me down to the dance floor, we kept our sights on Kasumi as she was being led by Grimmjow to the floor as well.

"Shall we dance then?" Taking the initiative, surprised by his invitation, I still don't fully trust the guy but there was no harm in a dance at least.

"…I'd love to." Taking his hand and led to the center amongst other students, I was surprised to find him pretty good at leading.  
His hand gently taking my waist and dancing smoothly to the waltz, it was a thrilling sensation that's been missing in me for some time. Kaoru danced with me, a little clumsy as it was, but it was sweet and I remember it so vividly. I danced with Renji and listened to the soft music playing and when I was gently spun around I saw Kaoru dancing with Anne not far away from us. I felt my heart clench not just from seeing them together, but from his smiling face not directed towards me any longer and the fact that he looks happier. Perhaps because I was thinking about us just seconds ago made this scene hurt a little bit as I thought I got over it.

"_Are you alright_…" he stopped and pulled me in and I was grateful he was hiding my face. "_Kim_…?"

"I think I'm done…sorry," wanting to run, it was something I didn't expect to do tonight, but when I felt Renji's hands wrap around and taking me away from the floor he didn't pry; didn't say anything more and let him just guide me through the throng of people and leading me outside to overlook the garden. We walked down the small flight of stairs and I took off my shoes to walk in the lush grass as we wound up beside the roses where we'd met earlier today. "…thanks," trying not to let emotions take me tonight, he leaned against a tree and stared at the sky.

"You know, back home we don't have stars like these. This atmosphere here is completely different from where I'm from." I stayed quiet and just listened. This was a first hearing him talk nicely about his home that I didn't realize it was making me feel better. "The captain holds extravagant venues like these once in a while with Lady Mizu, but nothing compares to what Raito can do." He laughed and looked sad he was away from home. "You guys have a unique way of life here I won't be able to comprehend no matter how long I live for. Take things in stride and don't let the small things hinder you…you have one life, cherish it." Speaking as though he's experienced death already, his somber look making me feel indifferent, I stared at the sky alongside him and just let everything I felt go away.

"Thanks, Renji…" he said nothing more than just letting the silence answer my feelings of everything going on.


	18. Chapter 17

**~OoOoO~**

**Grimmjow's POV**

The smell of sweets and cheap drinks filled the air, permeating everything. All the sounds of laughter and shy giggling heard from across the room making him frustrated to be in an enclosed space, he focused what was ahead and led Kasumi to an empty wall where they could perch themselves. Side glances from the girls here made him recollect the way Mizu would look at him at times.  
The memory fleeting, a distant feeling that can't be acted on.  
Before he could let his mind calm itself he felt Kasumi's hand grasp his arm, trembling, but her face showing no signs of distraught.  
She was so vastly different from everyone here. Her entire aura was calm and yet aggressive it caught his attention the first time they met. Taking her hand and gently patting it she eased her grip and took a calm breath in and out to refocus her agenda. Gathering that she was to present herself in front of a _news cast_, she had to remain calm and collective without hinting anything out of the ordinary.  
_Mizu and Raito would like her_, he thought. _She has their tenacity and something more that I can't quite place what it could be._ His mind trying to place who she reminded him of, he really couldn't focus on it with all the noise happening around him.

"Grimmjow," catching him off-guard, "Thank you for accompanying me from Kim's whim." Keeping her eyes steadily forward, she removed her hand and placed them in front of herself. "I feel better now knowing you're here and I can face anything head on without worry."

"Sure," not knowing what to say really, she didn't give me a glance as she started to walk towards the crowd and I instinctively took hold of her hand without knowing the reason why. "Uh…"

"Grimmjow?" she looked back with question in her eyes and I retracted back to the wall and rubbed my neck nervously. "Will you stay here and wait for me?"

"Yeah," no eye contact, nothing to give myself an answer, I listened to her footsteps walking away and looked at my hand to ponder my actions. _What was that about…?_ My thoughts wondering aimlessly, I leaned against the wall and watched these kids dance to the music in slow motion.  
The sight being right out of the Kurai's party gatherings, it felt strange seeing the same thing happening here when there's no soul reapers in sight and much more extravagant gathering with alcohol.  
"They would make this party soar if they were here…" talking to myself, I caught a girls eye who bravely came close and hiding her fidgeting hands behind her back.

"Um…c-can I h-have t-t-this d-dance…" her nervous speech making it clear she's never asked any guy before, she was small and weak looking, easy to break if I wasn't mindful.

"Nah, no can do kid. I'm here on business." Turning her down the way Raito had shown me once before, she looked devastated and ran off with tears in her eyes. "Damn she was weak…" muttering, I looked onward to everyone in the room and found Kasumi again. She was dancing with a guy wearing a mask that looked ridiculous on him. Seemed harmless enough with them just dancing and spinning.  
Until I saw her face.  
Her lips were pursed; eyes didn't seem to be pleased with who she was with and every spin made her show her teeth. I felt my blood coming to a boil and my feet had already started to make their way over to them. The throng of people in my way making me more irrational each step and filing through without hurting them, the guy had seen me coming and taken Kasumi away with him through the crowd. He was quick about it too since he weaved her through the crowd as though it was nothing.  
"Now you've done it…" growling my displeasure and making it outside but seeing nothing, I clenched my teeth and wanted to punch the damn wall in. "Where did you go ya bastard," seething, angry that I couldn't use my powers, I saw Renji at the garden below with Kim and wanted something to throw at them. "Wait…" thinking if they didn't react to seeing her come this way, they may have gone another route. "Leave her be for a damn minute and she's taken. What kind of fuckery is this?" Storming through the garden and trying to figure this damn place out without getting lost or losing her I was getting more and more agitated each second I couldn't trace her. I ran back to the veranda since I was getting nowhere down below and climbed the lattice to the roof.  
Running quickly among the tiles it took a matter of moments for my hearing to pick up on Kasumi and turn towards the gate where several cars awaited them. I slid down the rooftop and leapt towards the tree closest to the building and climbed down its branches swiftly. The suit Kim had me wear torn to shreds, shoes unraveled, this outfit was a goner. I ripped off the rest of the jacket and the weird blouse and tore the shoes off, placing myself near the scene and hiding in the bushes waiting for what was to happen. I had to be smart about my approach in case they have weapons that can hurt her.

"Release me at once!" Kasumi fought the guy holding her arm and got a chance to kick him behind the knee. "Who the hell do you think you are!" She was fuming, her hair a mess as it unraveled from her struggles.

"Oh, so uncouth of you to speak this way Ms. Matsumoto." A slender, older gentleman came out from one of the cars and made his way into the limelight. "Did you think I would allow such a vague execution of our companies really go without repercussions?"

"Mr. Ootori…you've hit an all-time low doing this," she seethed. Standing straight and her shoes kicked off, she had clenched her fist tight and was trembling. "You realize what you're doing will come back to haunt you…I'm—"

"The sole heiress to your parent's company—yes I am quite aware. But you have not realized how many men I had working for me on the inside to let me in on some of your dealings, now have you."  
She seemed shocked and horribly misplaced as she faced this man. Her tough demeanor failing, she looked more hurt than angry now.

"You…you were networking from the inside? Why—no, how did—" words a mess, she reached for her phone when the masked man took it away and crushed it on the ground. "Dammit—"

"Now then," the man came forward with a cane in hand and took that very cane to place it under her chin. "Let us reconcile our strife and begin negotiations."  
Kasumi spat in his face.  
"So be it then…" wiping his face and giving a silent signal, men came out from the cars in drones and tried encircling her when I had about enough of this and came out.

"You all have a death wish," popping my knuckles and stepping in front of Kasumi, her hand on my back shaking, this was enough for me to beat the shit out of them. "Kasumi, Renji is by the gardens from earlier, go there now." She didn't even hesitate. Carrying her dress and taking off I faced the group of men here and was raring for a fight. They were unarmed, so they probably only wanted to intimidate her, but that alone was more than enough of an invite for an ass-whoopin.

"Look buddy we don't want—" I punched him in the face. Teeth clattered and blood spilt, there was no holding back. The others came in like barbarians with no class and I easily dodged and hit 'em where it'll hurt. Knee to the stomach, a punch to the gut and throat, a sweeping kick here and clotheslining others with my forearm. Each contact doing more damage than necessary, but I didn't bat an eye to their displeasure and had my fun beating the shit out of them.

"Who are you?!" The guy named Ootori bellowed his displeasure as he glared at me. Watching his men back off I only smiled in response to their cowardice.

"I'm your worst fucking nightmare." Popping my bloody knuckles as she physically shivered to the sight, it was enjoyable to me. "I'm also what you call a personal bodyguard belonging to Kasumi and you, buddy, fucked up."

"She hired a bodyguard? Ridiculous, she could not have known this outcome."

"Maybe, maybe not. But I saw what I saw and I'm itchin for a fight."  
The guy barked his orders to the men to grab their weapons from the cars and they charged at me. I may not have my overwhelming Espada prowess to kill them in one sweep, but I'm strong enough to snap a few necks and bash a few heads in easily enough.


	19. Chapter 18

**Kasumi**

I wasn't prepared for anything like this. Between the guy that snuck into the dance to drag me out and seeing Kyoya's father ready to force his actions, this was terrifying! Having done what Grimmjow said and running to the garden, I found Kim and Renji and ran over to them.

"Ka—" Kim was cut short when Renji sped over to me and asked what happened. I merely pointed and told him Grimmjow was fighting off a bunch of men on his own. He ran off so quickly like a blur I didn't think twice about it and felt my knees collapse. "Kasumi," Kim at my side, she looked at my face and her eyes grew wide with fear I might have been hurt.

"It's alright Kim, I'm ok," taking a hold of her dress and feeling secure she was with me, that she's here, she hugged me tight and I calmed down. I took a breath in and tried fixing myself up but gave up when she shook her head to the effort.

"What happened? I only left the floor for maybe an hour or so."

"Mr. Ootori is taking matters into his own hands and getting pretty damn desperate. I'm even more determined now to settle this with Kyoya and his bastard of a father." Rearing myself up and making sure I had my shit together, Kim wondered if the boys would be fine and I assured her that it would be the other guys she should fear for. Knowing how Grimmjow spars with me and how strong he already is, there's no doubt in my mind Renji is probably at the same level.

"Are you sure you want to go back in there?" She pointed at my dress and hair and I sighed in defeat.

"…my dress is a little ruffled, no shoes…hair probably a disaster…I totally want to go in there and present myself for his father's deeds." Taking her hand and walking with my chest high and newfound courage, we walked to the veranda entrance and I stunned the crowd and watched them part in waves to have me go through with ease when I found the reporters waiting. As though nothing has changed, that I was no different in presenting myself, one of the anchormen questioned if I was to go live looking the way I do and I merely smiled.  
"Evening gentlemen, shall we begin that report?" Collective, calm, holding Kim's hand tightly, the reporters had their mics ready and the camera's rolling when I stared straight at that small black box and began the live feed.

The ballroom was quiet since the music stopped playing. Everyone had their attention on me and so focused on what I revealed that I could hear the crowd murmur and gossip. I proudly stood before them, keeping my tone level and steady, answering everything the media wanted and knowing _he_ was watching. I saw Kyoya standing just off to the right of my peripheral vision and he looked confused and horrified. This was entirely his father's ploy I realized. But no matter, the matter is being dealt with and I will have justification for all this.

"Miss Matsumoto, your company is thriving economically without the Ootori's intervention, is there any news of that to expand or take on any other companies? And is there a future Mr. Matsumoto that we don't know about?"

"Excellent questions, but the one concerning of a future husband is to be determined by me and me alone." I faced the camera and I knew what needed to be said, at least, what should have been done the moment I had control. I saw in the crowd both Mori and Honey as they are special guests for the ending of the host club and were cordially invited here specifically for this. "To the successors of the Haninozuka branch and the Morinozuka branch, they will be the two families my company will affiliate with locally and overseas while also having my full support in their business." Both Honey and Mori gaped, not knowing this was my plan and stepped forward when I beckoned them. "They have been beside me for a rather long time before taking over my parent's company and I would be more than welcoming to accept their partnership."  
Both Honey and Mori accepted the verbal contract and we shook on it in front of the camera's just so I could spite Kyoya and his father. In retrospect I will deal with the insurgence within my company and filter out those who betrayed me. Once the interview was over and done with, I walked to the balcony of the grand staircase and looked at everyone below me.  
"Everyone, thank you for a most fun and adventurous year with you all. As my final presentation, please enjoy this eventful gift we came up for you."  
The lights dimmed, a secret stash of flower pedals stored in the ceiling was unveiled and the pedals were coated in luminescent paint. Fluttering down and giving everyone an array of colors and a magical feel to the ball. The music picked up into a soft lilting tune making everyone ease and forget what they saw and enjoy the rest of the evening. I found my way down the steps back to the wall where Grimmjow and I had left each other and leaned on the cool beams with a heavy sigh.

"You did good Kasumi," Kim smiled and held my hand still. Honey and Mori also had come over and were merely surprised by the event.

"Most nerve-wracking thing I've done tonight…" not letting this ease all my tension, my hand was still shaking, I wanted to run back to where Grimmjow and Renji were and see if they were alright. But if I make another scene it will be bad rep. "Thank you Honey, Mori, for going with the flow."

"We were not expecting such a grand gesture coming here tonight. But we are all in working with you Kasu-chan!" Honey was merry as always and Mori merely went along with his words like usual. "I'm quite perplexed by what happened with you though…are you alright?" Honey asked.

"I'll be just fine…I managed to get out of this unscathed for the most part."

"But Kasu-chan is still shaking." Pointing it out when I tried so hard to hide it, I conceded to his perception.

"I'll be fine Honey, this will pass."

"Kasumi," Kim pointed to the left and I saw Grimmjow and Renji both smiling and giving a wave at us. "_Not even a scratch on them_," she whispered. Mori and Honey seemed to get the picture that discussion was over and would visit me at the company to go through all the paperwork and contracts together. Thanking them again as I leaned into Kim to continue the observation of Renji and Grimmjow's fighting prowess.

"_I'll be surprised if they even have any wounds albeit even a scratch_," I whispered.  
Once she saw they were waiting for us to come over Kim had beat me to it running over to them. I followed without thought and as she went to see if Renji was hurt anywhere and I reached out for Grimmjow and found myself no longer shaking.

"Hey," so nonchalant I couldn't hold in the sputter of a laugh. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Me, hurt, no…" he took my hand and pressed it against his chest.

"Even if you act tough, what's scary is scary ain't it," he made me look at him and I held myself back from tearing up. "They won't be bothering you again, I can assure that much. In the meantime," his other hand reached around my waist and he quickly lifted me off the ground without warning and I didn't know what to say or think! "Let's get you two home, this is enough excitement for one night."  
Seeing Renji had done the same to Kim and both of them carrying us out of the ball, we were so shocked and in a stupor we couldn't even act embarrassed!

"Oh my god everyone's looking at us." Hiding my face I heard Grimmjow chuckle as he cared not what anyone saw. "_A-are you bleeding?!_" Noticing the traces of blood on his tattered suit, he whispered back that it wasn't his. I should have been terrified seeing it, and knowing that he hit hard enough to make them bleed, but it didn't faze me a bit and I questioned myself if I was really ok with such violence happening around me.


	20. Chapter 19

**Kim  
Weeks after the Ball**

Today was a glorious day! My art supplies are out, canvas blank, inspiration before me to paint a masterpiece was at my fingertips! I've been waiting for this day to come and finally I had it…and better yet, I have TWO models to make my artwork soar!

"Is she alright?" Renji asked.  
Grimmjow didn't seem bothered by the reaction, but he shrugged and leaned into the chair leisurely.  
"Seriously man, you cool with this?"

"What, it's part of the agreement I had with them to stay here. Bound to happen to you too…"

"I never agreed to this!"

"So what," he yawed. "This is easy payment, just flex those muscles and let the girl paint ya."

"You're being—"

"Alright," stopping them, they faced me and I had my brushes in hand and at the ready. "Grimmjow I want you to stay in that very chair and get comfortable. Renji, you will stand next to him holding this katana over your shoulder with this jacket draped across your shoulders."

"What kind of painting are you doing?" He asked.

"Feudal era, and you two fit the imagery just right for my painting. Now strike a pose and hold it." Fixating the coat over him and making sure the props were just right, I fixated Grimmjow just ever so slightly and draped the samurai general coat over his shoulders as well and had him hold a reed in his mouth. Making sure all was perfect and the backdrop dark enough for shadows, I skipped over to my large canvas and began.  
Starting out with easy sketches, every quick angle and rounded areas marked, shaded areas with smudges of my thumb and deep lines for features that will be painted over and heightened. Every second counted in the daylight and how the light reflected off them. That, and their patience. A brush in my mouth for quick access as I dipped the first small brush in paint and smoothed out over the canvas I felt enthralled by this.

Never a small feat when painting and having live subjects, once I had the basic backdrop and colors in I allowed them to move for a while and continue painting my masterpiece. I guess it was an hour or so, can't tell since I was so focused.

"That's it," Grimmjow yawned while he stretched. Hearing his back pop from sitting so long made my ears twitch.

"Yup, I got exactly what I needed and the rest is all the final touches." Continuing to add color after color and making sure nothing was out of place, one of them was behind me watching me work and I heard a soft whistle escape his lips.

"That's impressive work," hearing it from Renji and smiling to the compliment, Grimmjow left the area knowing his role was over with and returned to the house. "You know, back home the captain would love to have his portrait done. Sometimes he would even take the brush himself and paint his trees…but this is mighty impressive."

"Thanks," feeling proud and getting this urge out of my system now, I looked at him from the side and saw him still wearing the uniform. "You can take that off you know…"

"Oh," not realizing he still had it on and removing it, he seemed rather flustered. "Guess it's the uniform part of it that makes it familiar."

"You wear this normally?"

"Well not exactly," trying to think of how to explain himself, he shrugged. "It's not too different but in a way it is. A soul reaper has clothes made from reishi, so really it varies on the person."

"….ok then," dismissing the strange talk and continuing my work, it was fun painting something again without stressing over school and finals. A luxury that will become normal from here on out. That and Mrs. Hitachiin's orders that would come in for all the designs and fashion shows we'll be holding.  
"If you don't mind me asking, is anyone waiting for you back home? Other than what you've told me of the scientist guy and a captain. I'm talking about an actual someone waiting for you to return."

"Well, I have my unit waiting for me…my captain is probably wondering where I've been, possibly a lot of paperwork left for me to do in my absence. This was supposed to be a quick mission." he answered so easily, but there was a slight sadness in the way he spoke and how he stared at my painting. I wasn't sure how to interpret it, but as I continued I felt just a little more relaxed with him being around and didn't realize how much time had passed and the sun had gone down quite a lot.

"I need to get dinner going!" Startling Renji and gathering everything up with his help, we returned inside and I found Kasumi in the kitchen already making dinner. "I'm sorry, I got so wrapped up—"

"Oh, Kim, hope you don't mind but I already made us dinner." She had sauce on her face and her hair was a mess for some odd reason, but she did indeed have dinner made and was trying to hold off a laugh. I stared at her for a moment and looked further into the kitchen and found Grimmjow entirely covered in sauce among other products.

"Do I want to know?"

"…" they both looked at each other and laughed. Apparently something happened that caused a food war that ultimately had Kasumi win.

"Alright, but you two have to make this kitchen spotless! I am not cleaning any of this up." Standing my ground and seeing Kasumi approve of my demands, we all gathered into the dining hall and ate lasagna—Kasumi's specialty—and conversed about the trip we would be taking soon.  
Karakura town seemed like an interesting place as far as I know, and from what both Renji and Grimmjow speak of it, more than most people could handle. And now that everything has been sorted at Kausmi's company and getting Honey and Mori in on the same action, leaving them in charge of things while we're away will put everything at ease. It was no easy feat after what Mr. Ootori did and the ball. We were quite delayed on this trip because of it.

Once everything was gone and the night late, we headed off our separate ways and I returned to my room and placed my painting on the wall so I could admire it.  
"It looks great…so much more than I thought it would. To think this piece would finally put my restless mind at ease." Leaning in bed and rummaging through my sketchbook, the several sketches I've done during this time really made me question what was wrong with me. Drawing people I've never seen before, seeing things that really can't be explained, I've come to realize that maybe something was going to happen and I'm sensing it. Not worrying about it though and giving my mind a rest, I turned the light off and slept like a log.

**Kasumi**

"You gonna spar for a while before sleeping," Grimmjow leaned against the wall with arms crossed and an eager look to his face. Not knowing how to react or speak with him right now after our little food fight in the kitchen, I faced my room and contemplated the means of getting my revenge against him for earlier.

"One condition," facing him, he was waiting for the terms. "If I beat you at your best you owe me one favor."

"Favor?" Not sure what to think looking at his expression, perplexed more likely, he scrunched his nose and didn't say anything about it yet.

"One favor that I can claim before we part ways when your back home." He gave a wry look at first before succumbing and nodding as his answer.

"Then if I win I get something out of it," approaching with feral ambition and cornering me against the wall I suddenly forgot how to breathe. "That sound fair," his entire stature overwhelming me for a moment, I stood my ground and found myself coming back and agreed to the terms. "Alright then, lets head down." Hands in his pocket as he led the way, the corner of my eye catching Renji yawning before entering his room, I was ready to get this match started and face Grimmjow with all that I got.

"I never asked, but where did you learn to fight?"

"…Hueco Mundo…" he paused, saying nothing more and it threw me for a loop.

"What's that? A place from Karakura Town?"

"You could say that," not wanting to speak of it, I could tell, we were in the dojo and changing into our gear when I faced the mirror to get myself revved up for the fight. "You ready," he called out from across the room.

"Yeah," gloves on and my feet wrapped, this was going to take all I had in me to get him pinned to the ground. I've seen him fight against Renji, I know what he's really capable of. He's been holding back against me and I won't stand for it!  
We stared at one another for what seemed like hours, contemplating who will jump into it first. My breath steady and eyes focused, he too was standing at the ready just waiting for a move to be made. I took the first step and went for his knee when he spun to the left and tried catching my collar. Dodging his grapple and spinning on my hands to make another attempt at a low kick he leapt back with great precision and was hopping on his feet.

"Getting faster," he smirked.  
Getting back up and right back into it with a right hook and a left punch, he easily caught my left hand and shoved me back while taking my front collar and attempting another grapple. Taking hold of his hips with my legs and using my bodyweight to throw him off-balance, we both rolled on the mat and back onto our feet breathing heavily.  
"Clever," wiping his brow before vanishing, he was behind me faster than I could think and took me from behind. "Now then," leaning in as he held my arms behind me and had my legs pinned, his lips close to my ear. "do you give up?"

"N…NO," forcing my aching muscles to lift his body and turn over to get him off, I managed to get on top him and pin both his arms above his head. "Do you give up?"

"Heh," a devilish smile as he peered up at me, I held firm so he couldn't move his hands and I was sitting on his stomach. This was probably the most awkward position I could have ever fallen into, but I wanted to win and this was one way I could do it.  
"Bet you don't know this move," he propped his legs and raised his abdomen to make me lose balance and fall onto him, all the while making me lose my grip and his arms wrap around me firmly. "Gotcha."

"Tha—that was dirty!" Trying to wriggle free, he laughed at my attempt and only had me manage to move upward to see him face to face.

"I don't play fair," he leaned in and nipped my ear!

"WHA—" shocked and feeling my entire face and neck burn, he flipped us around where I was pinned on the floor and him looming above me. "This is not fair!"

"I've never been one to play fair."  
All the alarms were shooting off in my head and I submitted my defeat hurriedly. He laughed at my expression and cowardice, but I was seriously going to be in danger if this kept up!  
"I'll let you know what my favor is when I think of it…" leaving me on the floor with a smile on his devilish face, his hands back in his pocket, he bid me a good night and was gone just like that.

I faced the mirror and saw how completely disheveled I had become. Face was bright red all the way down to my chest and I couldn't even control my racing heart. Splashing ice water did nothing either. I was so embarrassed and thrown off to his antics I didn't know how to react, but I knew exactly what this was no matter how dense I am towards the feeling.  
I'm falling hard for him…a fierce and bold feeling unlike the one I had with Kyoya. This was on another terrain I knew nothing of and how to play the game to. Grimmjow has beast-like tendencies and maybe more of a wildness I feel more drawn to. He challenges me like no other and then respects me. That's something I found I rather liked. But I wasn't expecting this feeling to ever come in a matter of a couple months!  
"Oh my god…what am I doing…" I stayed in the dojo probably the entire night thinking about everything and not once did I go upstairs to my room.


	21. Chapter 20

**Kim**

It was probably one in the morning when I heard something screeching outside my window. Rolling out of bed and grabbing my dagger I always kept hidden behind the nightstand I went to the window and peered out. My body instinctively moved on its own out of habit from years of being forced through drills of combat. Easing just a little as I peered through the windowpane and scoured the area for what could have made such a sound, something shot through the yard and dove into the shrubs.  
"Oh no you don't." My dagger in hand and throwing on some pants and a sweatshirt, I ran outside to examine the field and find what intruded on our property. "If you're a spy I recommend coming out now before I find you." Pacing the yard and listening to every sound out here. My ears were tuning in on something in the closest shrubbery and I walked slowly towards the area. "I'm giving you one last warning…come out quietly, no one gets hurt. Try something, you'll be sorry."  
If something has taught me over the years, it would be this situation. My first time ever coming into contact with Kasumi to be her bodyguard and saving her countless times from kidnappers made me strong. I trusted no one without a full background check—save for Grimmjow and Renji who had no background—and I failed when it came to Zen and Kyoya.  
*High pitched screeching*  
Covering my ears and biting my lower lip to the sound nearly bursting my eardrums, I squinted through blurry eyes to find the source and found something monstrous coming out of the shrubs and looking at me.  
"What…are you?!" Alarmed, leaping back and feeling my ears near bursting, I looked at the monster before me and readied my dagger. It was hideous. A large toad-like creature with bulging eyes and a strange fixated mask for a face, it leered at me with drool seeping from its mouth.  
*Screeching louder*  
Wincing to the sound and trying not to back down, my ears were too sensitive to it and I crumpled.

"KIM!"

Barely hearing my name and managing to see who it was, Renji came to the rescue and had a sword in hand. It wasn't one of Kasumi's either.

"R-Renji?" Sitting up and holding down my ears from the monsters persistent screeching, Renji grimaced to the sound and faced the monster head on. "W-wait!" Reaching out to stop him as he leapt at the thing, he swung his sword at it swiftly without sound and I watched as the monster began to dissolve into thin air?

"Are you hurt anywhere?!" Running towards me, dropping his blade and checking me all over, I was stunned stupid from what I just witnessed. "Kim, speak to me, are you hurt?!"

"…what the hell was that?" Shaken, not knowing what that thing was, he seemed to know of it and didn't say anything. "WHAT WAS THAT THING?!" I yelled.

"That was a Hollow." His entire expression turned sour.

"A what," snapping and taking hold of his shirt, he seemed a little too mellow for killing such a monster. That, and the fact he _knew_ what it was and killed it first try.

"A Hollow…eater of souls…" he took hold of my hand that grabbed him and apologized. "I never thought they would come this far at all since there is hardly any reishi here…we may have brought its attention here because of Grimmjow and I."

"And you just killed it with one swing with that sword of yours. How is that even possible," I wanted answers and he wasn't willing to give it to me freely. "Renji I'm warning you right now that I am still skeptical of you both. Neither of you have backgrounds in any database I've searched through and you just appeared from thin air. Kasumi may have just accepted it but deep down I've been trying to figure you two out since day one." Everything surfacing, my inner fire burning with rage to who they were grew more profound.

"Your very protective of Kasumi…"

"That's what I was brought up to do." Narrowing my eyes and feeling my inner evil coming forth to strike him down and have him tell me everything he knew, he didn't even flinch to my dagger at his throat. "You will tell me everything or I'll—"

"I'll tell you." He stopped me and sat upright. Still wary and holding my dagger at the ready to strike, he sighed and only paused for a short while to explain.  
"We're—Grimmjow and I—we're not human like we've said. I'm a Soul Reaper, he's an Espada. You could say we're spirits in a way with vastly different ideals and living. I was once human whose soul was brought back into the Soul Society. He was brought up in Hueco Mundo…not entirely sure as what and how, but he was raised in an environment where reishi is—"

"You're not making any sense to me at all. You telling me that you're a dead guy," not thinking for a moment he was serious about this claim, he only looked at my eyes without trying to hide anything. "…you're serious…" unbelievable, but I did lower my dagger and stared at him. "How are you even alive—no, how are you visible then? You a zombie type of person or a ghost?"

"Neither…I'm a spirit. Surprisingly enough you two—and everyone here—could see us to begin with. Back in Karakura town no one can see or hear us at all. This place is truly a wonder."

"This sounds so crazy…all of it sounds like you belong in the looney bin."

"I bet it does. But I'm not lying to you Kim. There's no need to lie to you. Just know that Grimmjow and I will never think of bringing harm to you two, not even for a second."

"…so that Hollow that you killed was a fluke? Something that followed you guys here?"

"Yeah. There's not enough reishi here to sustain our powers, so we thought perhaps the Hollow just don't exist here. I was wrong to assume such a thing."

"Well…thanks are in order for taking care of that thing…so thank you. But just so you know I am not so forgiving for trying to pull any fast—" he hugged me from out of the blue and shut me up. Not knowing how to take it and trying to pry him off, he seemed relieved?

"I'm just glad I got to you in time…" whispering in my ear and hugging tighter, I was at a loss for words but just stayed still until he was done. "I'm going to take a patrol around the area to make sure that was the only one. You should go back to sleep."

"…."

"Kim?"

"Fine…" not another word from me and just heading back inside, my thoughts trailed to how he held me and the secured feeling I felt when he did that. Not sure what I wanted any longer and just going back to bed, I kept the feeling in the back of my mind and lulled myself into sleep.

* * *

**Kasumi  
Time to Hit the Road**

Bags were packed, schedule taken care of, house armed, tank full in the car, everything was set for the trip to Karakura Town. Though I wasn't sure how a day would go inside the same car for the entire trip, so there's going to be a rest stop at a cabin about half-way before reaching the town.

"Kasumi," Kim held the basket full of lunches she's been working on all morning and beamed. "I have all the road trip snacks we could think of and our lunches—oh!" She hurriedly went back into the house and grabbed another bag. "I almost forgot the drinks!"

"Hehe, you make it sound like we'll be gone for weeks rather than a few days."

"Well should we stay for a week or two? I have everything taken care of on my end with Mrs. Hitachiin."

"Yeah…" thinking how the company would be without me there and having Mori and Honey take care of things, probably a small vacation wouldn't hurt. "That actually sounds pretty good. And anything we forget here I can just buy there."

"YAY!" Giddy as she ran back to the car and put the remaining luggage in, the boys were off in the distance out of earshot and speaking pretty seriously from the look on their expressions. Not sure what could make them look so gloomy, I got into the car and turned it on and waited for them to get in.  
"Kasumi," Kim hopped into the front seat, "are we stopping anywhere for any sightseeing?"

"I have a few stops from here to there, and we'll be staying at a cabin for the night before reaching the town."

"Sounds fun! Can't wait to see the what we have in store."

"Me neither, how long has it been?"

"Mm…9 years, maybe? It's been a long time since we've done much of anything other than work."

I thought of the places we would visit and recalled only a few having been with my parents. A little nostalgic thinking about them, but nothing really memorable as I barely could make out their faces in my memory and such. But as the boys got into the car and pulling out of the cobbled driveway, once the gates closed and the security system engaged, all was set and done and we were on the road.

O~O~O

Never have I ever wanted to punch someone to shut up. The guys were so eager to get this trip done to return home, and here they are whining after only been in the car for 9 hours!

"I thought cars are faster than this…" Grimmjow complained.

"It's a little suffocating than I thought it be…" Renji added. Both were irritating the hell out of me and I wanted to punch them out cold so they would be quiet the rest of the way.

"Both of you are acting like children! Can't you wait a little longer till we reach a rest stop?" Kim snapped.

"A rest stop? You mean we have to get back into the car and keep doing this?" Renji was struck with realization and groaned. "I wish the senkaimon was working…this is torture."

"Yeah, kind of the point in _a day's_ trip. Multiple stops and getting back on the road again." They both groaned and wanted out of the car. I kept my mouth shut and hands firmly on the wheel when I pulled over the nearest exit and to a rest stop. After parking the car I immediately got out and stormed off to the restroom and simmered down.

_I get it…I do…they don't do cars on a daily basis…but for the life of me can't they stop complaining?_ Looking into the mirror and seeing the frustration in my face show, slapping my cheeks to regain momentum again and to get to the first sightseeing area was a must. "I can make it. Just another hour or so and we'll be near the place I rented out for the night."  
Could I even last that long without strangling them?  
"I need patience…"


	22. Chapter 21

**Kim**

"Both of you are idiots."  
Arms crossed and reprimanding these two for their awful behavior, I was quite as fed up about them as Kasumi was.

"What?!" They both exclaimed at the same time. Rolling my eyes and getting out and feeling the fresh air hit my face, the boys also got out and bickered.

"You two just don't get what a car trip is do you? To think we're going out of the way and getting you home…and you complain about a car ride?" Both looked absolutely guilty when I said it this way and they looked where Kasumi stormed off to. "Be grateful she has a big enough heart to leave her company and leave it in someone else's hands while taking you two home. Though we're taking this as a vacation, you two are ridiculous complaining about it."

"Sorry…" not knowing which of them said it and heading to the restroom myself, I saw Kasumi sitting on the bench opposite of the building just staring at the trees. She was taking a moment for herself, probably calming down before ripping their heads off.

"You good," I called out to her and she waved back with a weak smile as her answer. Before walking inside the ladies room I happened to catch something moving in the trees. Thinking it was just the wind playing tricks on me, I stared a little harder and my ears picked up that strange screeching sound from last night. What Renji called a Hollow. I felt my body go rigid in seconds though as my instincts kicked in and felt my head start humming.  
"KASUMI!"

It happened so quickly. Nothing prepared me for it. It came out of the trees and lashed its tongue at Kasumi, sending her flying out of the bench and to the ground. The tongue lashed above Kasumi for a moment more as if grabbing something but failed to grab anything as it returned to it. Running towards her only to have a trunk fly towards me, I leapt out of the way and hid behind the wall of the building for cover. The bark flew all around as it crashed and splintered into shrapnel. A sight never thought to be seen apart from movies. I staggered around the corner to run to Kasumi's side when I saw the creature coming closer and closer into the encampment. She was still on the ground, barely hearing an audible voice coming from her as she groaned in pain from the impact.  
Diving in and sprinting towards her to hopefully grab her and run for it, she winced and coughed up a bit of blood before panic set in me.

"Kasumi…oh god please speak to me!" Seeing the Hollow still inching its way closer towards us, her hand gripped my shirt and I turned to see her trying to speak.

"Kim?" She held her head and was dazed. Eyes were dilated, meaning she hit her head hard.

"We need to move!" Getting her up and running away back to the car I watched as both Renji and Grimmjow ran past us towards the Hollow to fight it head on. My priority was getting Kasumi to safety, so I didn't look back and just got her into the car. "Are you ok? Did you bite your tongue? Your lip?" Checking the damage and seeing what was done, she winced when I touched her mouth and I saw the cut on the lip. "Nothing too serious, that'll heal. I'm more worried about your head and whatever might be broken from that hit you took."

"Where are they?" She looked around and realized the boys were not here. "Grimmjow and Renji, where are they?" Wincing painfully as she tried sitting up, coughing a little blood in the moment, I laid her back down.

"Their fighting that thing that attacked you…they can handle it." Keeping most information to myself knowing Renji and Grimmjow battle those things regularly, I was ready to move out and leave them if necessary.

"What do you mean?" The look of horror on her face as she tried opening the door to get out, I slammed it back shut and faced her seriously. There was no other way around it, she'd go out there and run to them if it wasn't for me here.

"They fight those things on a regular basis…Renji told me about them. Trust me, they can handle it." She was frightened about the whole thing—which I don't blame her—but as soon as I went to see out the window I watched as Renji was running back here to the car yelling something. I opened the door slightly and heard him.

"GET OUT OF THERE!"

In seconds the roof of the car was crushed by something. A tree perhaps, but something caved the roof of the car and pinned us in it. I could hear Renji screaming a battle cry, and another battle cry coming from Grimmjow as he rushed to our aid to get us out. Perhaps another Hollow came through the roof of the car, it took Renji a few minutes before Grimmjow was able to get in.

"SHIT!" He took a quick look inside the car and saw how crushed it turned out and that I was pinned between the seats. "Can you move?!"

"I can try…" moving just a little at a time and having his help getting the seats to move, I managed to crawl out with only a few scratches and a twisted ankle. "Kasumi!"

"This…hurts…"  
I peered into a horror scene. The roof of the car had her pinned into the seat and her legs crushed. Her head was bleeding and she was looking at me with the most frightened expression she's ever worn.

"Stand back," Grimmjow ordered. I did so and watched as he placed his hand inside the car and tried moving the roof back up.

"You can't do it without a tool, we need the jaws of life to pry the car roof off her!"

"Shut up!" He was gritting his teeth and groaning from the strain. He looked at the tree on top of the car and managed to move it off without anyone's assistance! He was strong, but not strong enough to move a damn tree with such damn ease. "Kasumi can you hear me," he leaned into the car by her and propped his back onto the roof and got himself situated to do something. "I'm getting you out of this, just keep your eyes open." Hands on the roof and pushing with all his might, the metal frame bulked and popped with the pressure of him pushing and I witnessed something incredible.  
I knew now what Renji spoke of with them not being human…he wasn't lying. Seeing Renji fighting the creature with his sword and holding it off, I was faced with an unknown feeling in my chest. I couldn't protect Kasumi from these things…I'm scared…I can't fight them off.

"Kim, get somewhere safe, I'll bring Kasumi out of this." Grimmjow managed to move the roof enough to sit up and he was working on the seat pinning her legs in. Not really in a position to argue and moving towards the restroom building, I could hear Renji yelling at the creature and fighting with all he got.

* * *

**Kasumi**

_Everything is happening too quickly for me to figure out what happened. I was talking to Kim and the next thing I knew the car started crushing me. My legs are screaming in agony…I think both of them are completely shattered…I can't really tell. That, and my lungs feel as though I'm swallowing glass…I'm scared. Something feels off too…I don't feel so good…am I dying? Please…I'm scared, I don't want to die!_

"Kasumi," hearing Grimmjow and barely opening my eyes to him looming over me, he was sweating a lot and seemed determined to get me out of this mess. "I got you…stay with me." Encouraging words that seem so alien of him to do, I held onto those words and could only groan to respond. "Thatta girl…I'll get you out of this."  
He gently shifted my body into his and I screamed when my legs moved.  
"Shit, your legs…bite my shoulder, don't release."  
Hugging me so I could try and wrap my arms around his neck and doing as he asked and biting his shoulder, he moved fairly quick and I screamed while biting down and breaking skin. Blood trickled into my mouth making me want to gag but I refused to release as the pain was horridly unbearable.  
"That's it…just do that until I get you out of this." Unfazed me biting his shoulder this hard, probably the most reassuring thing I could ask for right now was his calmness.

"Mmffh…" crying—more like sobbing—I clenched onto him as he moved me from the car and I opened my bleary eyes to seeing Renji fighting something grotesque. "Wha…"

"Don't talk."  
He hurriedly placed me down and started examining me when I felt my legs pulsate with pain.  
"Shit…this looks bad…"  
He covered his mouth and was trying to figure out what he could do but knew not where to start.  
"I'm no medic…I can't even numb the pain." He berated himself as though there was somehow a way for him to do so before.

"Grimmjow," hearing Renji coming with a sword in hand from nowhere, he was exhausted and looked at us with grimace. "Damn…where's Kim?"

"Told her to hide," he answered sourly.

"I sense more coming…but why are we only just sensing them now?"

"Fuck if I know!" Furious, Renji said nothing more and went to grab Kim. "Dammit all…those things wouldn't stand a chance if I was—" gritting his teeth as he looked away, I was noticing something odd on his face.

Blurry at first, as though there was a mirage forming, but I was clearly seeing something like teeth appearing on his face? Watching with awe and horror as the teeth was more profound like a jaw, he seemed to have caught me staring and reached for his face and his eyes widened.

"My mask?"

"Grimmjow," Renji had Kim and was coming back when he noticed him. "Your mask returned? What of your reiatsu?!"

"…don't know why it's happening now, but this will feel really good." Standing up and walking away from me, Kim ran to my side as we both watched them stand ready for another fight. "They be coming faster now…looks like your zanpakutou is sticking around."

"I was able to bring it out briefly, but it vanished in minutes as though it couldn't retain its form."

"Well then let's kill these fuckers off and ask questions later." Popping his knuckles and neck ready to fight them off, he was grinning like a serial killer.

They were like completely different people when they fought the monsters. Renji wielding his katana with such precision as he hacked several monsters in two was unlike anything I've ever seen. Grimmjow's wild prowess was feral. He held no weapon but his hands as though he had claws form. Leaping high into the air and spinning down in quick motions, slicing the creatures and hearing them wail as they dissolved into nothing. Perplexed to what I was seeing and not knowing what was going on, even Kim seemed more frightened then I've ever seen of her.

"_What the hell…_" shaking from fear from the scene, I didn't know what to think.

"Kasumi…I don't think they were lying about not being human." She was speaking softly as not to have them aware and I couldn't have agreed more for the caution. "There's no way we could doubt them after this…"

"They…they won't hurt us…" telling myself this rather than making it a statement, she agreed anyhow and held my hand tightly. "I need to get to a hospital…" remembering my own condition after the shock settled, the two turned back our way and there was something more alarming forming on Grimmjow that had me gasp. "Your stomach!"

He looked down and touched the gaping hole that appeared there and seemed familiar with it. There was no blood, but how is he fine with a hole in him?!

"Told ya didn't I…I ain't human." As though saying it again to have me accept this fact, he wasn't lying.  
The _mask_ as he called it was slightly jarring to me, but so was the hole he had in his stomach that has no blood or scarring around it. He kept looking at me though…his features more profound as the day I met him, I never noticed that he seemed older?

"Grimmjow I'm starting to feel reishi gather here…" Renji turned away and held out his katana at nothing when something started glowing? "A senkaimon! Grimmjow we can return home!"

"Well we're taking them along and getting them treated."

"Of course." He sheathed his katana and approached us both while holding out his hand to Kim for her to come. "We'll take you to the Soul Society where the best medic will tend to you both."

"…this is the place you keep mentioning and wanting to go back to…right?" Kim asked.

"Yes," tentatively speaking, Renji took hold of Kim's hand and waited for Grimmjow to come towards me when I couldn't stop staring at his new appearance. "I can numb the pain long enough to reach Captain Unohana," kneeling down quickly and a vibrant green glow emanated from his hand that subsided the pain almost immediately!

"What the—was that magic?!" He shook his head with uncertainty and nodded to Grimmjow. "Wait Grimmjow my legs—" he swooped in and picked me up rather quickly but there was no pain with my legs dangling the way they were. "Whoa…"

"Before this gets out of hand let's head through." Grimmjow seemed like a different person as he carried me through the gate and into some dark void of space that frightened me thinking we were going to fall into nothingness. "Don't worry, my reishi control is back to create a path."

"Path?" Looking down and seeing a white bridge of sorts that even Kim was able to walk on while clutching onto Renji, this was unbelievable.

"…I'm sorry about your legs…" he spoke softly. "I'd take your place if I could."

"This…this is definitely going to hinder my work when I get back home." Trying to joke about it, lifting the heavy atmosphere, he glanced at me but didn't speak. "So this is your mask…you've mentioned it several times before, even fiddled with your face a bunch of times…this is it?"

"Yeah…I'm an Espada…but before that I was something less with the form of an animal more or less before being created to what I am now."

"Created huh…this is really confusing, you know that?"

"Heh…" tension eased, there was a light at the end of this strange darkness and I could almost see buildings on the other side! "Almost there now."


	23. Author's Spiel

Not gonna lie it's been a journey getting to this point lol TheBloodRedHatter and I have been collaborating this story for some time now and it's finally reached the halfway point!

The Story from here on out will be quite an adventure so please stay tune and anticipate even more crazy fun!

We would also love to hear comments. Anything you think of or just wanting to share is greatly appreciated.

Mahalo plenty readers!


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